Signé Magazine
  • Cars
  • Watches
  • Style
    • Fashion
    • Accessories
    • Grooming
  • Signé Woman
    • Fashion
    • Jewellery
    • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
    • Gear
    • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Fine Dining
    • Real Estate
  • Art & Design
  • Festive Picks!New
Browse
  • Cars
  • Watches
  • Style
    • Fashion
    • Accessories
    • Grooming
  • Signé Woman
    • Fashion
    • Jewellery
    • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
    • Gear
    • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Fine Dining
    • Real Estate
  • Art & Design
  • Festive Picks!New
Search
Signé Magazine
Signé Magazine
  • Cars
  • Watches
  • Style
    • Fashion
    • Accessories
    • Grooming
  • Signé Woman
    • Fashion
    • Jewellery
    • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
    • Gear
    • Travel
    • Hotels
    • Fine Dining
    • Real Estate
  • Art & Design
  • Festive Picks!New
  • Art & Design

Phantom at 100: A Century of Art, Icons, and Imagination

  • August 8, 2025
  • 2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
0

For a century, the Rolls-Royce Phantom has glided through the corridors of art, culture, and history—silently commanding presence not only as an engineering marvel but also as an enduring muse for some of the greatest creative minds. As it marks its 100th anniversary in 2025, Phantom is celebrated not just as a pinnacle of automotive luxury, but as a living canvas for artistry, imagination, and cultural influence.

From the moment it emerged in the 1920s, Phantom became more than a motor car—it was a stage for self-expression. Renowned artists, collectors, and visionaries have not only travelled in its opulent embrace but have reimagined it as part of their own creative worlds. Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Dame Laura Knight are among the luminaries who connected with the car, often blurring the lines between transport and art.

One of Phantom’s most surreal moments came in 1955, when Salvador Dalí, ever the master of spectacle, arrived at Paris-Sorbonne University in a Phantom crammed with half a ton of cauliflowers. The absurdity was deliberate, the statement unmistakable—a perfect fusion of surrealism and luxury. Decades later, Rolls-Royce immortalised this moment by commissioning a contemporary artwork inspired by Dalí’s brassica-laden arrival, proving that Phantom’s stories are as unconventional as they are unforgettable.

Another chapter in this artistic lineage belongs to Andy Warhol, who, after meeting Dalí in New York, went on to own a 1937 Phantom converted into a shooting brake. Purchased on a whim from an antique shop in Zurich, Warhol’s Phantom became part of his personal narrative, embodying the fusion of Pop Art’s bold style with the understated elegance of Rolls-Royce craftsmanship. To honour Warhol’s legacy, the marque has commissioned a modern reinterpretation of Phantom through a Pop Art lens—bridging the glamour of Studio 54 with timeless motoring prestige.

This relationship between car and creator stretches back to the Spirit of Ecstasy itself. Designed in 1911 by Charles Sykes, the mascot was conceived with the grace of a fairy balanced on the bonnet, inspired in part by the Winged Victory of Samothrace. For decades, Sykes and later his daughter Jo oversaw each piece by hand, making early mascots not only brand symbols but works of fine art in their own right.

Phantom has also been a literal exhibit—displayed in institutions like London’s Saatchi Gallery and the Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. These appearances cemented its role as a cultural artefact, admired not just for its engineering but for its sculptural form and the stories it carries. Each generation has brought new interpretations of luxury, yet the core remains unchanged: Phantom is designed to inspire.

Collectors and creatives alike see Phantom as more than a possession; it is a bespoke extension of identity. Its vast, elegant surfaces, refined interiors, and masterful engineering invite personalisation at the highest level, transforming each commission into a one-of-a-kind artwork. The car’s presence in the art world reflects a shared philosophy—craft, rarity, and vision endure long after trends fade.

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Art & Design

Western Furniture Unveils Sculptural Mirror Collection Across UAE Showrooms

  • August 26, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

Stephen Silver and Contessa Gallery Present The Art of the Jewel in Southampton

  • August 25, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

Saint Laurent Productions Premieres Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother at Venice Film Festival 2025

  • August 16, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

The Leela Palace Chennai Showcases India’s Living Legacy in New Brand Film with Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash

  • August 15, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

Dubai Design Week 2025 Champions Community and Creative Collaboration

  • August 7, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

Villeroy & Boch and Ideal Standard Reveal 2025 Bathroom Trends: Timeless Elegance for the Modern Sanctuary

  • August 5, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

Theatre of Digital Art (TODA) Unveils Immersive August 2025 Line-up: Rock Anthems, Jazz Legends, Family Experiences & More

  • August 4, 2025
View Post
  • Art & Design

Aura Living’s Summer Pastels Collection Brings a Breath of Fresh Air to Contemporary Homes

  • July 8, 2025
Signé Sanctuaries
  • A Return to Radiance: The Maybourne Riviera Welcomes the 2025 Season With New Culinary Stars and a Groundbreaking Wellness Destination
  • AVANTCHA Unveils Black Oud & Mastic: A Luxurious Fusion of Wellness and Tradition
  • Renew and Rejuvenate: Rosewood Abu Dhabi’s Longevity & Renewal Retreat
  • Clinique La Prairie Elevates Skin Rejuvenation in Revitalisation Programs Through Collaboration with La Prairie
  • One&Only Le Saint Géran Unveils Mauritius First Guerlain Spa: A Fusion of Elegance and Wellness
LATEST STORIES
  • California’s Hidden Sanctuaries of Wellness and Luxury Await
  • Chef Tala Bashmi Joins Forces with Jardin Des Arts for a Limited-Edition Culinary Experience
  • Bateel Boutique Elevates Middle Eastern Heritage with Kunafa Truffles and Dubai Date Chocolate
  • Audi Unveils the All-New A6 Models in the Middle East: A Legacy Reimagined
  • Chronofixe Cofrefor and Seconde/Seconde/ Reimagine Astérix with a Swiss Vault-Inspired Watch
  • Celebrating Emirati Women’s Day with Light of Sakina’s Tajali Collection
  • Warmth and Strength Define Emirati Women’s Day at Raffles The Palm Dubai
  • Celebrating Emirati Women’s Day with Réserve en Afrique at Collective Africa
  • Tirameu: Dubai’s Mother-Daughter Tiramisu Brand Sweetening Every Occasion
  • What Ancient Ayurveda Gets Right About Desert Skin

Make your Inbox more interesting.

Every alternate week get a packaged update from the world of luxury. A newsletter tastefully curated by the 'Keepers of Craft', Signé Magazine.

Latest Print Editions
    • Print Edition

    Signé Magazine – Edition 55

    • 15.11.24
      • Print Edition
    View Post
    • Print Edition

    Signé Magazine – Edition 54

    • 24.09.24
      • Print Edition
    View Post
    • Print Edition

    Signe Magazine – Edition 52

    • 15.12.23
      • Print Edition
    View Post
    • Print Edition

    Signé Magazine – Edition 51

    • 15.11.23
      • Print Edition
    View Post
    • Print Edition

    Signé Magazine – Edition 50

    • 15.09.23
      • Print Edition
    View Post
Latest Online Features
  • California’s Hidden Sanctuaries of Wellness and Luxury Await August 28, 2025
  • Chef Tala Bashmi Joins Forces with Jardin Des Arts for a Limited-Edition Culinary Experience August 28, 2025
  • Bateel Boutique Elevates Middle Eastern Heritage with Kunafa Truffles and Dubai Date Chocolate August 28, 2025
  • Audi Unveils the All-New A6 Models in the Middle East: A Legacy Reimagined August 28, 2025
  • Chronofixe Cofrefor and Seconde/Seconde/ Reimagine Astérix with a Swiss Vault-Inspired Watch August 28, 2025
  • Celebrating Emirati Women’s Day with Light of Sakina’s Tajali Collection August 27, 2025
EDITORIAL CALENDAR
August 2025
S M T W T F S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31  
« Jul    
Signé Magazine
  • Signé Magazine – All Stories
  • Contact Us
Keepers of Craft

Input your search keywords and press Enter.