A rare 1958 Land Rover Series 2 reworked by Sean Wotherspoon and Stuff by Spot was unveiled during Monterey Car Week. With its playfully color-blocked exterior, the project is a continuation of the duo’s collaboration, and follows their recently completed Porsche 2.7 RS project (see designboom’s coverage here).

Originally built in England and delivered to an engineer in Canada in 1959, the left-hand-drive 2.25 petrol Land Rover has remained with its first owner for more than four decades. The vehicle eventually returned to the UK in 2002, and remarkably, it had never been road-registered. Today, it is believed to be one of only six left-hand-drive Series 2 models in the UK, and among just three that still retain their original chassis.

Earlier this year, Jimmy Howson of Stuff by Spot acquired the vehicle and restored it in Essex between March and July before shipping it across the Atlantic. The build preserves as many original panels as possible while enhancing the truck with practical upgrades. This way its authenticity is balanced with a renewed driving life.

image © colinjection

a 1958 land rover series 2 reinterpreted

For the colorful restoration, designer Sean Wotherspoon’s sensibility lies in allowing the character of the Land Rover to surface rather than overlaying it with dramatic interventions. The upgrades — a fresh engine and gearbox rebuild, Wolf alloys, a CarPlay-enabled dash, and a custom rear seating setup with built-in speakers — are carried out with the team at Stuff by Spot to reflect a measured approach. The result is a vintage utility vehicle that remains true to its heritage while receiving refinements that allow it to function in contemporary contexts.

Where the Porsche 2.7 RS reinterpretation emphasized vivid color and surface detail, the Land Rover instead relies on its inherent rarity and provenance as a foundation. Wotherspoon’s contribution frames the vehicle as an artifact and machine to be driven.

Presented alongside the Porsche during Monterey Car Week, the Land Rover affirms the partnership between Wotherspoon and Stuff by Spot as one centered on rethinking icons of automotive design. The work acknowledges its heritage and layers new elements without overwhelming the original or erasing time.

Sean Wotherspoon and Stuff by Spot unveiled a rare 1958 Land Rover Series 2 at Monterey Car Week

the collaboration follows the Sean Wotherspoon Porsche 2.7 RS project

the original left hand drive chassis has been preserved with subtle upgrades

the Land Rover spent four decades with its first owner in Canada before returning to the UK

only six left hand drive Series 2 models are believed to exist in the UK

Jimmy Howson of Stuff by Spot restored the vehicle in Essex before shipping it to Monterey, California

the build preserves as many original panels as possible

project info:

name: 1958 Land Rover Series 2

designer: Sean Wotherspoon | @sean_wotherspoon

collaborators: Stuff by Spot | @stuffbyspot

photography: @colinjection, @maxkindersley, @concourscollectionstorage

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In Los Angeles, designer Sean Wotherspoon has reimagined a Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7RS, working closely with a small team of collaborators to refinish and reupholster every visible surface. The car comes from the garage of collector and commissioner Philip Sarofim, and has since been transformed over the course of eight months into an expression of Wotherspoon’s longtime connection with car culture and playful colorways.

A new platform for Wotherspoon’s distinctive design vocabulary, the 2.7RS was brought to life with the help of the creative agency Stuff by Spot and product designer Duncan Bonar. The base car is a favorite model in Porsche’s legacy and offered both opportunity and risk, which the designer acknowledged in an interview with the Porsche-centric storytelling platform Type 7: ‘I was a little apprehensive at first because the value of these cars,’ he explained, ‘but honored at the same time.’

images © Hagop Kalaidjian | @hagop

Sean wotherspoon’s signature Color-Blocking

The attention-grabbing color palette of the redesigned Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7RS echoes Sean Wotherspoon’s previous projects, especially his Taycan collaboration from 2022 (see here). It also references Philip Sarofim’s role at Meyers Manx with colors like ‘Old Red,’ originally developed for the dune buggy company. Though the project isn’t a formal Manx collaboration, this use of its heritage hues allows for an intentional blurring of automotive identities. The hood alone acts as an historic nod and connects Porsche’s racing heritage to the whimsical lineage of Manx fiberglass bodies.

Each panel is individually painted, matching the precision of Wotherspoon’s past work while embracing the character of older materials. The approach recalls the patchwork identity of his Harlequin Golf, which he credits as a foundational influence: ‘I want everything to be color blocked,‘ he tells Type 7. The inspiration carries through the Carrera’s bodywork in subtle variations, with even the tones being selected to match the character of the original RS silhouette.

Sean Wotherspoon transforms a Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7RS with a full custom repaint and upholstery

a cabin wrapped in cork, denim and flannel

Inside, the car takes on a different texture entirely. Wotherspoon layers the cabin with vintage Levi’s denim, corduroy, and flannel, fabrics sourced from garments dating back to the 1960s. ‘It’s all made with vintage Levi’s denim and flannel shirts,’ he continues. ‘I also used some corduroy in there because it’s one of my favorite materials, and the cork dashboard is also really special. The cork was leftover from the Taycan project, so it has a little bit of modern Porsche running through it.’

The materials are not selected just for novelty, but for meaning. The denim used on the driver’s seat, for example, was chosen for its distinctive wear pattern. Levi’s pockets on the door cards, while sideways, are fully functional. The front trunk is covered in a patchwork lining, extending the interior logic of reuse and repair. ‘You couldn’t find a flaw if you tried,’ Wotherspoon says of the upholstery work. ‘Every stitch is perfect.‘

each exterior panel is painted individually using archival and custom colors

Wotherspoon traces his fascination with color-blocking back to late nights on VW Vortex forums as a teenager. The discovery of the rare and colorful Volkswagen Harlequin, and eventually owning one, seeded an aesthetic that has carried through to his work with Nike, Adidas, and now Porsche. With this latest project, the hybridization of automotive heritage and vintage streetwear finds a more tactile form.

The car debuted on the streets of Los Angeles. ‘It’s really something to drive that car around LA on a summer’s day,’ the designer recalls. ‘Nature is always creating so much color and we always look at it as beauty… so I tried to bring that into the project.’

Although the project is informed by Porsche history, its spirit is about reinterpretation rather than preservation. Personal references and unexpected material stories are layered into the design. ‘My goal is to always use as much color as I can,’ he explains, ‘but use it in a way that’s done so well that it doesn’t hurt your eyes. You know, a way that makes you curious.’

the interior features vintage Levi’s denim, flannel shirts, and corduroy from the ’60s through the ’90s

functional details include door cards with Levi’s pockets and a frunk lined in fabric collage

the project was commissioned by collector Philip Sarofim and realized with the help of Stuff by Spot

the dashboard is made of cork repurposed from Wotherspoon’s previous Taycan collaboration

the color-blocked design draws inspiration from Wotherspoon’s own Harlequin Golf

project info:

model: Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7RS

designer: Sean Wotherspoon | @sean_wotherspoon

brand: Porsche | @porsche

car owner: Philip Sarofim | @meyersmanxoutlaw

collaborators: Duncan Bonar | @dunc_werks, Stuff by Spot | @stuffbyspot

original publisher: Type 7 | @type7

photographer: © Hagop Kalaidjian | @hagop

The post sean wotherspoon rethreads multicolored porsche carrera with denim, corduroy and flannel appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

For the first time, streetwear designer Sean Wotherspoon unveils his Porsche electric art car in its entirety, defined by its vividly colorblocking and playful materiality. The news comes after the striking exterior had been displayed at Austin’s South x Southwest festival in March. Finally, the interiors have been revealed which continue the lively colorway of ‘Nash Blue, Sean Peach, Loretta Purple and Ashley Green.’ What makes these interiors especially unique is the material palette which introduces cork and corduroy.

Because the Taycan 4 Cross Turismo is Sean’s personal car, the electric art car stands as a one-of-a-kind creation, and will not be offered for sale.

images © Porsche

translating the sneaker to the porsche

Working on his Porsche Taycan art car, Sean Wotherspoon draws from his experience designing sneakers — especially his 2018 Nike Air Max 97/1 sneaker which famously first saw the use of corduroy. This material was rarely seen in sneakers and had since become the designer‘s trademark. The roof lining, seat centers and sun visors are upholstered with corduroy in Atacama Beige. As a strict vegan, Sean insisted that the interiors be leather-free, an option that other Taycan customers can also choose.

Robert Ader, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Porsche comments on the company’s long history with art cars: ‘From Janis Joplin’s psychedelic 356 in the 1960s to the 911 RSR from 2019 designed by Richard Philips — the list of iconic art cars from Porsche is already long. Art cars suit Porsche very well. Creative design work with artists inspires us and motivates us to keep developing the brand without changing it fundamentally.’

 

 

 

 

 

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the collaborative design process

The partnership was initiated by a marketing communications team at Porsche. The communications experts brought Wotherspoon together with the Style Porsche designers and worked with him to organize the world premiere of the car on Instagram. Wotherspoon visited the Porsche Design Studio in Weissach several times, overseeing the physical creation of his art car onsite, and spending time in the workshop and the trim shop.

At first, the team made use of virtual reality technology to explore and discuss many of the exterior color options on a model car. Volker Müller, Head of Color and Trim at Style Porsche recalls: ‘Inspired by a visit to the Porsche Museum, Sean got the idea for circular elements on the doors. His idea echoes the starting-number roundels on historic racing cars. At the same time, this inverted colour breaks up the large area.’

To ensure the colors were precisely the ones he wanted, Wotherspoon sent the corresponding Pantone reference codes to Porsche. The mixing bench in the paint shop was used to recreate them and the colors were then applied to what are known as ‘paint frogs’ so that the sneaker designer could view them in person and professionally evaluate them under a range of different conditions. The lighting cabin at the Porsche Design Studio can switch between daylight and artificial light at the push of a button.

The unusual names of the paints have a personal background. Volker Müller describes how Nash Blue, Sean Peach, Loretta Purple and Ashley Green came about: ‘After we explained the importance of having unique names, Sean named the paints after members of his family.’

The idea is for the interior to continue the color blocking concept of the exterior. Corduroy actually has a long tradition at the sports car manufacturer, with the soft, ribbed material adorning the seat centres of the Porsche 356 as early as 1952. In the new art car, this woven material was added in Atacama Beige, which Porsche used in the 911 Targa 4S Heritage Edition in 2020. Müller notes, ‘Working with cork, however, presented a number of challenges to our trimmers.‘ Ultimately, the laminated material, which comes on rolls, had to be fitted to complex shapes such as the dashboard.

project info:

designer: Sean Wotherspoon | @sean_wotherspoon for Porsche

The post sean wotherspoon unveils the cork and corduroy interiors of his electric porsche art car appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

lydia kasumi shirreff is a self-proclaimed paper pony living with her husband in london. it was most likely in the early and late weekend hours, between other commissioned projects, that lydia challenged herself with the tedious techniques it would take to perfectly paperize the airmax’s. each raised line of faux fabric is made from individual slivers of hand-cut, hand-glued @colorplan_papers paper.

the sole is embossed with layers of paper and the kerning and arch between and along the A  I  R are spaced to perfection aside a tiny NIKE logo. the trials, the errors, the thousands of paper pieces and the hundreds of hunched hours gluing them (plus accompanying shoulder pains) must have been tremendous, but surprisingly easiest of all, @lydiakshirreff says on her instagram, was color-grading: ‘would you believe me if I said somehow by magic I had all the right colours in stock? Being a paper hoarder pays off.’ 

lydia told designboom, ‘I was looking for a slight change of pace from my every day, deadline-based commission work. I knew I wanted to create a follow-up to a series of trainers I’d made 5 or 6 years ago, and I knew it had to be iconic. my husband is a proud owner of these sean wotherspoon airmax’s so it ended up being an easy choice. the detail, texture and technical challenges made for a perfect long project. all aspects of the trainer are completely hand-made from paper and it took 6 months between jobs to create.’

The post sneakerheads tip their beanies to this entirely paperized NIKE x sean wotherspoon air max appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

all images courtesy of trinious2511 / reddit

some of the hybrid and deconstructed pieces, such as the air max 1/97 ‘sean wotherspoon‘, are the works of rudy lim, while others, including the vintage nike cortez ones and the ‘I don’t give a fxck’ snakeskin vans are done by sneaker customization and restoration specialist B fella. one of the most intricate pieces is probably the off white x NIKE air jordan I ‘chicago’, signed by rudy lim, who has completely deconstructed the shoe down to its every single piece and framed it along with its package.

via high snobiety

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