The last stage of the European ‘fashion show tour’ that took the new 500 Collezione to major cities – from Milan and London, to Berlin, Paris and Madrid, each one an international capital of fashion, style and art – has come to an end.
The 500 Collezione – in two body versions, hatchback and convertible – that was shown with a fashion theme in these five cities is the most recent limited edition version of this model which was launched at the Geneva Motor Show back in March.
The European tour of 500 Collezione kicked off on April 18 in Milan, Italy's most fashionable and international city, during the Milan Furniture Fair, one of the most exciting and crowded weeks of the year. The event was also the national preview of this new edition, which not unlike a true film star graced the red carpet of the Hotel Magna Pars Suites, a stone's throw away from the old Porta Genova railway station and the lively Via Tortona - the nerve centre of fashion and design - for journalists, photographers, influencers and fans to see.
With a two-tone livery, dubbed "Primavera", the 500 Collezione comes with details such as chrome-plated accents on the front bumper, bonnet and mirror caps, which are a modern take on some of the most distinctive traits of its forerunner.
The second stage of the tour took the 500 Collezione to London, the city that outside Italy is home to the most examples of the 500. The UK is the second market in terms of size in the EMEA Region. For the occasion, the new 500 Collezione was shown in front of the sophisticated Ice Tank Studio in Covent Garden where passers-by could stop and take photos.
After visiting Milan and London, the 500 Collezione tour headed to Berlin where the new special edition was the star of an exclusive event held in the ultra-modern Bridge Studios, on Seestraßeninsel in Westhafen, a beautiful location at the waterfront on a peninsula in the heart of Berlin.
Guests at the modern Bridge Studios were also able to see a selection of some of the thirty special editions based on Fiat and Abarth models, which have been introduced over the past 11 years, the derivatives on show including the Fiat 500 Mirror, Fiat 500 Riva, Abarth 695 Rivale and Abarth 695 XSR Yamaha as well of course as the thirtieth special edition which is the new 500 Collezione and follows in the wake of the 500-60esimo and Anniversario versions launched to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the iconic Fiat last year.
The 500 Collezione tour then stopped in Paris, one of the most important fashion capitals. The venue for the fourth stage of the tour was the beautiful La Maison in Issy les Moulineaux, an architecture gem set on a romantic street along the river Seine.
The chrome-plated cursive "Collezione" badge on the tailgate of the new 500 Collezione stands out not unlike a logo on a high-fashion garment. Many elements of the car make explicit reference to the worlds of fashion and design, like the, Spring-evoking new liveries, paired with standard 16-inch alloy rims. The palette features the new two-tone (white and grey) "Primavera" and two-tone (white and green) "Acquamarina" paintwork, in addition to Taormina Ivory, as an alternative to Gelato White and "Blu dipinto di Blu" Blue, all embellished with a trademark grey/white/grey all-around beauty line.
Inside there are also original combinations, like the dashboard - white for the two-tone "Primavera", green for the two-tone "Acquamarina" or matching the body paintwork for the other colours. The fashion-inspired colour theme continues inside with two-tone striped grey seats, ivory top and embroidered 500 logo and the "Collezione" logo on the mats.
After Milan, London, Berlin and Paris, the European tour of 500 Collezione ended in Madrid, at the imposing Only You Hotel Atocha, in the heart of the art and culture quarter of the Spanish capital, close to the most important museums and the most stylish boutiques in town. Welcoming, bright and with a spectacular courtyard, the location is the perfect blend of traditional Madrid architecture and cutting-edge design, a sophisticated reference to old and new.
The streets of Madrid also feature in the "New 500 Collezione, Inspired by itself" advertisement that is accompanying the international launch of the new special edition. Produced by the Leo Burnett creative agency and directed by Laszlo Kadar, the 500 Collezione appears as a top model accustomed to starring on the most famous runways worldwide. The car with its two-tone livery is fitted out with smartphones as modern-day replacements for the now obsolete film cameras and is driven by a young model having activated the selfie function. Trying to be perfectly at ease as a diva, the 500 Collezione gradually turns into the director of the advertisement, homing in on its own style details and finally decides that the final shot can forgo the woman all together because the concept is that the car is the real model of the show.
Photos: Fiat 500 Collezione European Fashion Show Tour / Video
