Now, you can ride on your favourite fashion label!

We have all heard the story about how the scooter was possibly born to help the clergy ride with ease after stepping through with their robes. And the iconic scooter that comes to mind every time I hear this anecdote is the Vespa, the scooter whose design has spawned a million inspired copies. The Vespa 946 has been an icon, with its timeless design giving it head-turning looks even today. Now, that ‘object of utilitarianism’ has been reworked to become an ‘object of desire’! Late last week, Vespa announced that it has collaborated with iconic Parisian fashion house Christian Dior to create a limited edition Vespa 946 Christian Dior. And can the already style-conscious Vespa brand stop at that? Nope, the new CD edition will come with matching accessories, all designed and crafted by Christian Dior. For Vespa, which is passionate about hand-stitched details and hand-crafting, the scooter this is not the first limited edition with a fashion house — it had one with Emporio Armani too.

Fashion icon on wheels

The result of the collaboration sees the birth of the Vespa 946 Christian Dior scooter, its monohull architecture, special paint scheme and subtle graphic lines paying tribute to the long heritage of the two houses. Vespa says that the contemporary version of the iconic Vespa 946 — presented in 2012 in Milan, Italy and recognised for its elegant, streamlined curves and technological innovation — was designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, Creative Director of Dior women’s collections. “The scooter is made in Italy, adhering to the exacting standards, commitment and precision of a couture atelier.”

Echoing the design of the saddle, a top case patterned with the Dior Oblique motif — designed by Marc Bohan in 1967 — is specially designed to be fixed on the luggage rack, adding a distinctive element to the overall package.

The colour of the Vespa 946 Christian Dior body is exclusive, made together with Dior’s creative Department; so was the choice of gold for the finishing touches. The saddle is in real blue-leather with ‘ton sur ton’ seams ( contrasting tone on tone); the handles are covered with blue-leather and the seams are also ‘ton sur ton’. The saddle support is realised with a “Dior Monogram” original fabric upholstery. On the right side of the vehicle there are some exclusive decalco with the “Christian Dior Paris” logo, although on the left side there is the possibility to personalise it. The hook placed under the saddle has the exclusive “Christian Dior” logo. A helmet adorned with the same iconic motif rounds out the unique range available to the buyers of the special edition. All of these limited-edition creations are expected to be launched in spring 2021 in Dior boutiques around the world, and subsequently in a selection of Piaggio Group’s Motoplex stores.

The Vespa 946 was launched in 2013. It takes inspiration from the Vespa prototype MP6 produced in 1946. At the heart of the Vespa 946 is a single cylinder 125cc, four-stroke, three-valve, air cooled engine with electronic fuel injection.