That the Rolls-Royce brand is emblematic in the luxury car segment, with grandeur and elegance as key concepts, there's no doubt. But do you know why this brand is so recognized worldwide?
One cannot point to just one reason for Rolls-Royce being the icon that transcends decades. In fact, everything about the brand is meticulously planned and detailed. From the powerful and smooth engine to the details of the paintwork. And it is precisely this latter aspect that we will discuss today. Not just the paint itself, but an adornment applied to the paint that takes customization and exclusivity to a new level.
Do you know what pinstripe is?
According to the Cambridge dictionary, "pinstripe" means a fine line contrasting with the background color, used in fabrics, clothing, or artistic applications on objects. In common language, it's painting or decorating in super fine lines, done freehand, reminiscent of tribal tattoos. Pinstripe is an art form, so to be considered a pinstripe, the design needs to be manual, thin, and done with a tool known as a "beugler". The "beugler" is a type of brush similar to a pen and is used to apply paint to the surface being decorated.
You've probably seen pinstripe without realizing it. After all, even designs on truck bodies and bumper plates are considered forms of pinstripe, known as "lining". In fact, the first ideas of this movement started in the 18th century, with paintings on carriages. Over time, the concept of pinstripe flowed into circles of art, culture, motorcycles, cars, and tattoos. From there, the name "Kustom Kulture" emerged around the 1950s, which, in summary, was a movement of people who customized their cars and bikes, adding their personalities and characteristics to the machines, precisely through painting with brushes and airbrushes. It's impossible to dissociate "Kustom Kulture" from the name Von Dutch, a nickname given to Kenneth Howard, born in 1929 in the suburb of Los Angeles. The American was responsible for turning pinstripe into art by customizing hundreds of motorcycles and cars.
Rolls-Royce and the pinstripe
Not everyone knows, but one of the most interesting details of Rolls-Royce cars are - precisely - the painted stripes using the pinstripe technique. In addition to this graphic being done by hand, one by one, which in itself would be incredible, another curious fact is that the same artist, since 2003, has been creating this artwork on the cars. The name of this artist is Mark Court, and he has been customizing Rolls-Royces through pinstripe since 2003. Mark is responsible for the final step in the car's production, and as such, his work leaves no room for error. Any flaw in the pinstripe means that the entire painting process needs to be restarted. Thus, Court's pinstripe, besides being art, must involve technique and precision. And it's not just for that reason that his work is so valued. In addition to customizing luxury cars, he also caters to the quirky tastes of the brand's customers who, from time to time, request personalized graphics for the artist to apply to their cars. Once, a customer demanded that the artist leave the company's factory in Goodwood (West Sussex, England) and go to the United Arab Emirates to paint the lines on his Rolls-Royce. Mark Court is a well-known figure in the luxury car market because all this exclusivity is what elevates the car to an even higher level. Personalizing cars "by hand" and by just one person for over 20 years is simply surreal. Mark, in fact, cannot take vacations to avoid halting car production. This earns him a salary also considered very exclusive. But it doesn't take away from the question: who will continue his legacy? While it's a great strategy to have this level of exclusivity for a luxury product, depending on one person, who naturally has a limited lifespan, could impact the longevity of the idea of super-customized pinstripes on Rolls-Royces. The artist himself has acknowledged that "time passes and no one gets any younger because of it." Therefore, there's unofficial market information that a successor to his position is being trained. Whether it's true or not, the reality is that Mark Court has left his mark on the history of pinstripe and the high-end automotive market.
