The mid 90s were a special time for Milan, because the city consolidated its standing as the epicenter of pret-a-porter fashion. Business was going well for the local designer and fashion elite, especially for Giorgio Armani. Two decades after he had founded his own company, he had a very busy year, for example opening a flagship store on New York City’s Madison Avenue, as his success peaked both creatively and financially in 1996. The decadence and excess of the eighties were finally over, and Armani’s timeless and subtle designs were all the rage, also on the red carpets of Hollywood.
King Giorgio’s mode of transport echoed this philosophy. He was gliding down the Corso Venezia in a Bentley Brooklands that he had taken delivery of in March 1996 and which is being auctioned off at RM Sotheby’s Monaco Sale on 25 April. This conservative but timeless limousine, like most of Armani’s cars hued in a shade of Royal Blue highlighted by a beige brown coachline and combined with a parchment hide coloured leather interior and a walnut trimmed dashboard, aligned with Armani’s understated designs and is estimated to fetch between 45,000 and 90,000 Euros.
Named after a racetrack that went down as one of the most significant in Bentley's history, the Brooklands was only built 1,208 times between 1992 and 1998, despite offering the highest level of British driving culture. Powered by a 6.75-liter V8 putting out 245 modest horses, it wasn’t a rocket by any means, but could waft along the road, while the suspension ironed out even the worst Milanese potholes. It must have felt like a luxurious cocoon, in which Signore Armani could get some rest from his busy schedule.
Still, he didn’t spend as much time in his Brooklands as one would expect. He sold it back to the Roman dealership S.Mo.Car, through which he initially had ordered the car, in late September of the same year, so he had owned it for only half a year. It’s not clear why Armani got rid of this lounge on wheels so early, but the rest of the Bentley's history is well documented.
The car still bears the original Italian registration AG138SE. These initials, fittingly mirroring those of its high profile first owner, have remained with the vehicle throughout its continuous history. Even after Giorgio Armani returned the keys to the dealership in Rome and the car was acquired by a new keeper on the outskirts of the capital, the Bentley preserved this subtle nod to its famous origins.
Today, chassis number 57472 remains a rare piece of automotive and fashion history, being one of only 153 left-hand drive examples configured for the 1996 model year. Still presented in its original colour, the car appears to have been as well cared for as one of the designer’s own suits. Having remained in Italy since it first left the Crewe factory, this historically significant Brooklands presents in remarkable condition, awaiting a new custodian who appreciates the same quiet luxury that once provided a sanctuary for the King of Fashion.
