This story is part of Glossy’s week-long look at the state of luxury, exploring what consumers and brands are deeming worthy of investment in 2024. To see all the stories in the series, click here.
Think: Jake Ryan’s Ralph Lauren sweater vest and 1983 Porsche 944, and supermodel Kendall Jenner’s Alo set and 993 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S.
Iconic fashion-and-Porsche pairings have existed for decades. Now, thanks to more brands targeting wealthy shoppers, more social media mood boards focusing on an aspirational lifestyle and Porsche itself leaning into the fashion opportunity, the rate of their rollouts has accelerated.
“When we want to attract certain audiences, we need to lean into interests they like,” said Ayesha Coker, vp of marketing at Porsche Cars North America. “We’re meeting driven women where they are: They drive a car, they travel, and they wear stylish clothes.”
She added, “When we work with lifestyle and fashion brands, they bring us along in their storytelling and it allows us to showcase our product to a new audience we probably never would have reached.”
In May, for the first time, Porsche sponsored the Met Gala, with its Macan model announced as the event’s official electric car. As such, Macans in a newly released Provence colorway transported A-list attendees to the red carpet and after-parties and were featured in a Vogue magazine spread. Dua Lipa, announced as a Porsche ambassador in November 2023, attended the Met Gala, contributing to the impactful moment for the company.
“It was unexpected for Porsche to show up at the Super Bowl of fashion,” Coker said. “We were able to showcase a lot of unique and new partnerships within the fashion space during that time. And the [resulting] content creation resonated, based on the response across social channels and Vogue’s platform.”
Still, fashion is a part of Porsche’s DNA, Coker said, noting that F.A. Porsche, who designed the original 911 model in 1963, started the company’s in-house lifestyle brand, Porsche Design, in 1972. The same year, the division introduced the first Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch. Porsche Design timepieces and sunglasses have since become popular sellers. Madonna and Lenny Kravitz have been spotted in the brand’s P’8478 aviator shades.
Fashion collaborations have also been instrumental in bringing Porsche into the fashion conversation. Since 2019, Tag Heuer and Porsche have teamed up on Carrera watch styles referencing both brands’ motorsports roots. And in 2020, Porsche entered a long-term partnership with Puma centered on shoes celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 911 Turbo. Two years later, Porsche and luggage brand Rimowa collaborated on a handheld case dubbed the Pepita inspired by the first 911. The sold-out style is currently selling on resale sites for $5,000.
“When we partner with fashion brands, we look for aligned qualities: innovation, craftsmanship and their attention to detail when telling their story,” Coker said, noting that Porsche’s number of annual fashion collaborations varies. “It’s all about being authentic to your brand and telling your story the way it needs to be told so it can resonate with the audience you’re trying to attract at that moment.”
Porsche’s fashion partnerships within the last year have included its third collab with Aime Leon Dore — each has centered on restoring and customizing a classic Porsche according to the streetwear brand’s specifications. There were also new collections under Porsche’s 5-year partnership with Boss and, in October 2023, a debut skiwear capsule co-created with Head Sportswear. In June, following their first partnership in 2023, Porsche and travel fashion brand Sprayground released a limited-edition backpack inspired by Formula E cars.
“Our first collaboration was in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the 911,” said David BenDavid, founder of Sprayground. “Each bag was a numbered limited edition, sold exclusively at Porsche dealerships worldwide, which made it even more special.”
He added, “The engineering on the inside [of a Porsche] is on another level, and the exterior design is sleek, elegant and edgy. Porsche recognized the same ethos in Sprayground, and together we forged a wonderful partnership.”
Creating limited-edition products has long been part of Porsche’s playbook, and that’s carried over to its fashion strategy. “We just sold [out of] the 911 S/T, and you could customize a watch to go with that car,” Coker said. “They were limited because you could only get that specific watch if you bought the car.”
Today, with their regular posts spotlighting iconic Porsche styles, several personal and mood-board-style Instagram accounts are ensuring Porsche’s cool factor doesn’t dwindle among younger generations. Among them: @gentlemensgram (1.3 million followers) and @lifeof_riley (420,000 followers).
“It’s not like we’re doing heavy product placement or asking people to showcase our models in their storytelling,” Coker said, “People just have an authentic connection people with our brand — in some way, their lifestyle and Porsche intersect.”
And, according to Coker, Gen Zers have indeed become fans of the brand. True to form, based on their well-documented love for nostalgia, “They absolutely love the classic cars,” she said.
