When flipping through the January 2012 Vogue, it took us about half a second to notice something familiar about the Lexus ad (as seen on the left). Immediately, we called to mind the meticulously dissembled works of Todd McLellan (example on the right) that we spotted last February whose images were quickly disseminated throughout the blogosphere with glee. Could Lexus have gotten their inspiration from Todd who incidentally also photographs cars and advertisements?

A little digging finds that this photograph from Lexus was only the beginning of a project in which four fashion designers – Moss Lipow, Eddie Borgo, John Patrick and Alejandro Ingelmo – were challenged to “rethink their notions of automotive design” for an ad campaign slated to appear in Vogue.

A Lexus CT 200h hybrid car was taken apart and from the pieces the designers created clothing and accessories. The results of the project were on display at the recent Art Basel Miami Beach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GwQp7969lHY

We think the approach is interesting and certainly touches on a number of markets. Of course, fans of Todd’s work (and probably the mechanically inclined, too) will appreciate the peculiar beauty of seeing a machine taken apart and laid out piece by piece. Enthusiasts of repurposing goods, especially the parts of gadgets (example: watch parts) to make accessories will also likely take note. Intent on showing off both their goals for sustainability and their innovative engineering – and likewise an apparent appreciation for creative thinking – Lexus also might make you think about the cycle of inspiration and of the lines in which art, advertising and design blend, merge and where, if any, are there boundaries.

Coverage by Emily Gup