News
Ferrari unveils Tailor Made 12Cilindri with Korean inspiration
The new Tailor Made 12Cilindri has been created in collaboration with four young South Korean artists using innovative materials and techniques
A special edition of the Ferrari 12Cilindri, inspired by the Ferrari Gran Turismo models of the 1950s and 1960s, has been revealed.
This vehicle is a result of a two-year collaboration spanning three continents: Asia, with four South Korean artists; Europe, with Ferrari’s Styling Centre and North America, with the publication Cool Hunting, which curated and creatively directed the project alongside JaeEun “Jane” Lee.
The exterior paint draws inspiration from Korean heritage, taking cues from the green tones of Celadon ceramics and the cosmopolitan neon-light atmosphere of Seoul. As a result, the bodywork features an iridescent finish that shifts from green to violet with blue highlights.
This colour approach reflects Car Design News’ CMF survey findings, which indicates that Asia favours metallics finishes, with metallics also emerging as the leading colour theme across the luxury and premium segments.
One of the participating artists, Dahye Jeong, was responsible for incorporating traditional horsehair weaving into the vehicle’s design. Jeong is known for her work with horsehair, having created brushes, instruments and furniture using traditional Korean weaving techniques. She has described her methods as “an investment of time” according to a profile with Soluna Fine Craft.
The fabric used on this special edition’s seats, floor and soft surfaces feature one of Jeong’s patterns, made using a new fabric for the artist: a 3D material developed by an unnamed South Korean company. The glass roof of the 12Cillindri features a screen printing of her pattern, which casts shadows of this pattern as light passes through. Returning to her roots (no pun intended), one of Jeong’s hand-woven pieces made from Mongolian horsehair takes pride of place on the dashboard.
Hyunhee Kim is another young Korean artist who has made her mark on this vehicle. Kim is known for reinterpreting traditional Korean objects into a contemporary context, using transparent and translucent materials to push boundaries. She’s known for addressing gender stereotypes by reimagining furniture pieces traditionally associated with women’s roles in Korean households.
For this project, Kim’s translucent designs appear in the Scuderia Ferrari shields, wheel caps, long F nameplate and prancing horse emblem. Inside, her influence continues with a modified centre tunnel featuring the same translucent effect as well as a handmade dedication plate bearing the project’s name in traditional calligraphy. Kim extended her contribution further by creating traditional cases for the boot, designed to double as luggage.
TaeHyun Lee, a contemporary artist, also added to this project through his use of a traditional Korean lacquer technique, layering modern materials with lacquer to achieve a glossy, reflective finish. This technique was applied to the white brake callipers and white shift paddles.
Lastly, but certainly not least, South Korean sound and performance artist duo ‘GRAYCODE, jiiiiin’ translated the iconic Ferrari V12 sound into a visual artwork rendered across the vehicle’s body. Executed in a transitional paint shade one tone darker than the base colour, it adds further visual depth to the design.
