Japanese design philosophy is fused with Italian craftsmanship in this one-of-a-kind Ferrari Roma, created by the Ferrari Tailor Made department in collaboration with the founders of Cool Hunting.
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An exclusive program, Ferrari Tailor Made allows participants to customise each facet of their Ferrari to create a truly unique vehicle that speaks to their personality and tastes. Participating customers are assisted by a team of experts who bring their desires to life while retaining the aesthetic standards of the Italian marque.
Cool Hunting founders Evan Orensten and Josh Rubin were approached to customise a Ferrari Roma, meeting with Ferrari chief design officer Flavio Manzoni following an extended period in Japan where the duo immersed themselves in the country’s traditional crafts and artisanal methods. The experience shaped the customisation of their Ferrari Roma, with Manzoni and his team similarly inspired by the parallels between Italian and Japanese culture and design philosophy.
The Japanphilic nature of the Ferrari Roma is apparent at first glance with the bespoke vivid blue hue, dubbed ‘Indigo Metal’, inspired by traditional Japanese indigo dyes. The vibrant shade enhances the purity of the Ferrari Roma’s bodywork, perfectly highlighting its contours. The Cool Hunting team got the idea to use the hue after vising Toyama, one of the few remaining indigo farms in Tokushima, Japan’s indigo-growing region.
A visit to Kaikado, a Kyoto-based family business famed for its copper tea canisters, influenced the secondary hue. Copper — which develops a natural patina over time — plates the wheels and offsets the indigo body. Step inside and you’ll find the gear shift gate surrounds and leers are also plated with copper, as is the ‘kamon’, a crest on the car’s dedication plate that is traditionally passed down through generations in Japan and indicates one’s lineage. Designed by Kyogen, depicts an ox-drawn carriage with the eight pistons of the Ferrari Roma’s V8 engine forming its spokes, and is said to represent good luck, power, and prosperity.
Inside the coupe, the indigo shade carries through with bespoke upholstery that utilises Sakiori fabrics. One of the oldest examples of upcycling, Sakiori fabrics date back to the 1700s and were originally crafted from worn-out vintage Japanese kimonos that were disassembled and rewoven with new fibres (typically cotton or silk), creating a durable fabric. In the Ferrari Roma, the concept of Sakiori gives new life to a pair of vintage kimonos originally made in Amami Oshima 45 and 75 years ago, making the fabric viable by substituting high-tensile nylon for cotton or silk, allowing the material to be hard-wearing enough for application inside the vehicle.
The original powertrain is retained, with the 3.9-litre V8 engine producing 612 bhp and 651 ft-lb torque. With a top speed of 320km/h, the Ferrari Roma jumps from 0-100km/h in 3.4 seconds.
Amalgamating the best of Japanese design and Italian craftsmanship, the Tailor Made Ferrari Roma designed by Cool Hunting showcases the boundless potential of thoughtful customisation.
Words by Theo Rosen
