Part of a series of short films commissioned by Rolls-Royce, The Graceful Little Goddess is the story of the recreation of the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament for the 21st century. Watch as they use digital 3D mapping to craft one of the most famous emblems in the automotive world.

Today we’d like to spotlight mucho famous Iranian menswear designer, Bijan (April 4, 1940-April 16, 2011).

Bijan dressed many political figures as well as celebrities including Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzeneggar, Tom Cruise, Jay Leno, Giorgio Armani, Usher, and more.

Besides his passion for designing menswear, Bijan also took interest in luxury automobiles. His collection included a Bugatti Veyron, Bentley Azure, and this Rolls-Royce Drophead Phantom Coupe.

The car is covered from head-to-toe in ‘Bijan Yellow’ including the interior, wheels, mirror, window frame and hood. There’s a diamond-pave watch embedded into the dashboard and a picnic set with crystal stemware included in the trunk (for casual outdoor dining).

Check out this video we found of him driving the Rolls-Royce to his store on Rodeo Drive…

Unfortunately Bijan will not be able to see the release of the 2012 limited edition ‘Bijan Yellow’ Phantom Drophead Coupe as a consumer vehicle but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to continue with production. 30 cars will be released to the public in honor of Bijan Pakzad and the partnership he shared with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. To read more, check out this article we found on Dupont Registry

In the center of the city of fashion, right on 17th arrondissement, a state-of-the-art facility was built for none other than Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. CEO, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, was there to celebrate the Grand Opening of the showroom along with several VIP guests, celebrities, and the media.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös said, “Paris is a Global capital of style and fine living. I am delighted to see the new French home of Rolls-Royce in the heart of Paris, which complements the unique mood of the city, as well as the core values of our company.”

As mentioned in the Rankin and his ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ Inspired Photography
post, Rolls-Royce has recently teamed up with several artists to commemorate the centenary of the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament, such as photographer Rankin and contemporary British Fashion legend, Alice Temperly.

To celebrate its 100th birthday she created a gown that can only be described as fit for a goddess. It was presented at the Grand Opening as well as London Fashion Week and is pictured above (taken from Sept-Oct. edition of ‘Modern Lady’)

• Rolls-Royce didn’t make a whole car until after WWII. They actually only made chassis and would have coachbuilders (like Hooper & Co) make the bodies

• The oldest Rolls-Royce still on the road is the 1904 10hp which is owned by Thomas Love Jr of Scotland

• To this day, everyone at the Rolls-Royce factory is addressed by their first initial to honor Sir Henry Royce, who they used to address as ‘R’

• Sir Henry Royce (or ‘R’) designed some of the greatest aero engines of all time, yet he never travelled in an aircraft

• The Rolls-Royce radiator grill seems pretty simple at first glance—until you learn that it took one guy a full day to complete it with nothing but his bare hands and a well-trained eye. After he completes the grill, it’s sent to be polished for a full five hours before it’s ready to be mounted on the front of a Rolls-Royce

• The first Rolls-Royce was sold for 395 EUR and is now over 250,000 EUR

• It takes a team of incredibly skilled workers 800 hours to complete the body of a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI

• Rolls-Royce made rifles during WWI

• The first job that Sir Henry Royce ever had was as a newspaper boy

• Every Rolls-Royce engine is completely hand-built even to this day

• There are 27 electric motors in every Silver Spirit

• On his dying bed Sir Henry Royce said, “I have only one regret: that I have not worked harder.”

Nicknamed “Moon the Loon”, Keith Moon, drummer for the English rock group The Who, is mentioned in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the greatest drummers of all time. Known for his wild public stunts and outlandish behavior (flushing sticks of dynamite down toilet bowls, throwing TVs out of windows, etc) it was no surprise when he decided to paint his Rolls-Royce with Lilac colored house paint.

There are rumors that after a day of partying for his 21st birthday, Keith drove a Cadillac into the swimming pool of a Holiday Inn in Flint, Michigan, thus banning him from staying in all Holiday Inns from that point on. However there’s been some speculation as to whether the car that he drove into the pool was actually his Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Lincoln Continental, or if it even happened at all. Some people believe that he actually released the story just to stir-up the press. Nevertheless, it’s undeniable that the drummer had a thing for fine automobiles…even if only he was to later destroy them.

To celebrate the centenary of the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’ emblem in 2011, Rolls-Royce commissioned world renowned photographer, Rankin, to create a series of 100 photos inspired by the beloved hood ornament.

No stranger to controversy, Rankin’s images are a beautiful blend between tradition and artistic embellishment; a fusion of art and custom. We’ve included a few to give you a taste of what the collection is all about…