Details: One of the world’s most recognisable cars, the Land Rover Defender, is edging toward retirement (production of the Land Rover Defender is due to end in December of 2015). To mark the occasion, British fashion designer Paul Smith has designed a one-off bespoke version of the archetypal 4×4.

Using a palette of 27 individual colours, Smith has created a typically (for him) vibrant and unique version of the Defender that nods to the cars service history with the Army, Navy and Airforce. The colours also reference the Defender’s ties to British countryside, for which it has been a symbol and ambassador for the past 60 years.

“I wanted deep, rich colours, but at the same time, I wanted them to work together yet be surprising” says Smith.

Design elements used in the Defender also tie into other recent collaborations, as Paul explains: “I wanted to give this Defender a feeling of luxury. So I used a mix of leather and fabric for the seats. I actually used the fabric that I design for Maharam, the American upholstery company. My designs are known for their attention to detail, so I didn’t want this Defender to be any different.”