Rolls-Royce has presented a one-of-one Phantom Dentelle, commissioned by a Middle Eastern client as a gift for their father. This personal project was curated through the marque’s Private Office Dubai.
“We always say that inspiration for a motor car commission can be found anywhere, and after more than two decades, our clients constantly prove how true this is. This stunning Phantom Dentelle, commissioned through Private Office Dubai, is an homage to the exquisite handmade lace used in some of the world’s leading haute couture ateliers. Using the medium of embroidery, we translated this delicate material into our pinnacle product, which, in its uniqueness, beauty and craftsmanship, can be regarded as an authentic expression of haute couture,” said, Michelle Lusby, Private Office Dubai designer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
The inspiration for this subtle and elegant commission was a piece of couture lace. The fabric – delicate lace crafted using a rare Leavers loom – featured three-dimensional floral elements and soft pearl-like details, and its intricate textures and gentle palette formed the creative foundation for both the interior and exterior of the Phantom Dentelle.
Embroidery inspired by lace
The Phantom’s gallery runs the full width of the car’s fascia and has been specifically designed to display a bespoke artwork – a floral composition inspired by couture lace. The embroidery layers multiple stitch techniques, thread densities and tonal blends, including rose gold, sunrise and oatmeal, to evoke the textures of petals, ferns and lacework.
A filigree lace-like base is formed using a triple-run stitch, creating a fine mesh structure. Over this, satin stitch shapes the floral elements with a soft, silk-like sheen, while raised accents echo the original pearl details, catching the light with subtle depth. In total, the piece comprises more than 160,000 stitches.
The Waterfall section between the rear seats continues the floral theme with embroidery echoing the botanical detail in the gallery design and comprising around 70,000 stitches. The speaker grilles are finished in rose gold to subtly complement the embroidery tones.
“The embroidery detailing in the Gallery and rear Waterfall is incredibly complex and designed to capture the soft luster of pearls. It catches the light as you move around the motor car – or as the sunlight shifts while driving – like the shimmer of a couture gown under flashbulbs on the red carpet. It brings a remarkable sense of movement and theatre to something entirely still,” explained Brienny Dudley, Interior Trim Center, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
The interior is completed with sunrise and grace white leathers, embroidered ‘RR’ monograms on the front and rear headrests and piano white veneer.
Exterior
Phantom Dentelle’s exterior has a two-tone Bespoke finish with the lower body finished in crystal over arctic white, and the upper body in crystal over palais nemasker dawn, a color reserved for the commissioning client’s exclusive use. The double coachline, rendered in Sunrise, resolves with a hand-painted motif depicting a leafy branch with pearl berries, reflecting the artwork theme inside.
The motor car rides on 22in fully polished disc wheels with body-colored centers and arctic white center pinstripes. The polished pantheon grille is crowned with the spirit of ecstasy in rose gold; the same metal is used for the bespoke engraved treadplates.
In related news, Rolls-Royce has showcased a new one-of-one commission dubbed the Phantom Dragon. Celebrating the Year of the Dragon, the build, commissioned by a client from China, features intricate interior design incorporating Chinese cultural elements. Read the full story here
