Stuttgart ? In cooperation with the pioneering concept store colette, from mid-June 2009 smart will be presenting the colette and smart collection which has been created especially for the urban car brand. The collection consists of items ranging from shoes, a T-shirt, a scarf, jewellery and a bag ? all created by five international designer labels and each produced in a limited edition of 150. The products are linked by the theme of "design meets sustainability".
colette, which opened in 1997 on Rue Saint-Honor? in the sophisticated 1st arrondissement of Paris, is not like a conventional shop. Since it was established, colette has redefined shopping. Spread across three floors, it has everything that gets a design-lover's pulse racing ? from exclusive fashion to books, cosmetics, music and electronic gadgets. colette doesn't just sell products from well-known brands: one of the things that make colette unique is its mix of products from established names and young designers and artists. On more than one occasion colette has been responsible for bringing fame to previously little-known names.
"The smart fortwo and the products of the colette and smart collection both combine unique design with environmental sustainability," Marc Langenbrinck, Director Brand Management and Sales & Marketing smart, explains. "This collection represents a continuation of smart's activities in the field of urban creativity. And the variety of countries that the designers come from reflects our brand's international orientation ? as of this year, we will be represented in 41 different markets."
colette selected five designer labels, from Paris, New York City, Berlin and the new smart markets Brazil and Denmark, and asked them to design an exclusive product for smart. The designers took as their inspiration the themes of urban mobility, design and sustainability ? all key values behind the smart brand. All of the products are made from recyclable ? or, in some cases, even recycled ? materials, and are each produced in a limited edition of just 150.
The products of the colette and smart collection
Melissa (S?o Paulo)
The Brazilian shoe label Melissa is known for its unique shoes made from recyclable plastic. Now Melissa has come up with two special colour editions for the colette and smart collection: Melissa's first ever shoe for men ? the "Aranha" ? based on the footwear of fishermen in the south of France ? in matt grey, and the ballet flat "Campana Corallo" in the smart colour silver, for women. "Our design for the collection is defined by 'less resources, more emotion'. Designers have a responsibility to create ideas that benefit society and the environment ? for our generation and our children?s," says Edson Matsuo, Creative Director at Melissa. (Cost: ?45.00)
Wood Wood (Copenhagen)
Illustrated graphic motifs are the hallmark of this Danish label, which was established in 2002 selling printed T-shirts, and since then has become one of the driving forces behind the European street couture scene. "Our T-shirt for the colette and smart collection is made from organic cotton and is about 'green driving': driving fun coupled with recycling, alternative energies and harmony with nature," says Wood Wood founder and Creative Director T Karl-Oskar Olsen. (Cost: ?52.00)
Opening Ceremony (New York)
"Our travel tote bag is ideal for when you're zipping around the city in your smart. It's made from organic cotton and features some clever tools for out and about, like a bottle opener and a tape measure ? and they?re all made from recycled materials," Carol Lim and Humberto Leon, the brains behind the New York-based label and concept store Opening Ceremony, explain. For Opening Ceremony, fashion is also about exchanging ideas between different countries and cultures. Each season, the label focuses on designers from a different country. (Cost: ?40.00)
Andrea Crews (Paris)
The Paris-based fashion collective Andrea Crews, founded by artist and designer Maroussia Rebecq, produces fashion items made exclusively from second-hand products. The label's shows are more like artistic performances and events than conventional fashion shows. For the colette and smart collection, Andrea Crews has produced 150 unique hand-made items from recycled jewellery. Maroussia Rebecq says: "Our smart accessories are just as diverse as the urban culture that inspired them: wear them as a necklace, put them on your key ring or hang them on your rear-view mirror for more glamour in your smart." (Cost: ?80.00)
Lala Berlin (Berlin)
Lala Berlin's large square scarf made from a mixture of organic cotton and silk with a hand-painted motif is typical of the label's designs. "When designing the scarf for the collection I was thinking of paradise, animals, nature, and the possibilities we have for positively influencing our urban jungle," says Leyla Piedayesh, the woman behind Lala Berlin. In just five years the Berlin-based label has grown from a one-woman-show to an international brand ? thanks to its unconventional mixture of casual urban design and elegant chic. (Cost: ?180.00)
The colette and smart collection can be ordered from now on at colette, Paris, and online at
www.colette.fr. From 27 August until 10 September 2009, smart will additionally be presenting the designer products at the "smart Urban Stage" in S?o Paulo. The Urban Stage S?o Paulo is a temporary gallery for urban art, also offering shopping and events relating to the themes of design, creativity and sustainability.
