Creations by Rolls-Royce Bespoke for the Year of the Dragon

The Year of the Dragon will soon begin in the Chinese calendar and as a celebration of Chinese cultural heritage. Rolls-Royce Bespoke has been busy creating four exclusive cars – three Phantom Extended and one Cullinan. Commissioned by customers in different parts of the world, each of them has been designed and hand-crafted through Bespoke artistry.

“These creations are both a powerful expression of our respect for Chinese culture, and a contemporary, minimalist statement in line with trends we see among luxury consumers worldwide,” said Jonathan Simms, Head of Bespoke at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“The products are inspired by international cultures and traditions, incorporating designs, motifs, materials and colours that resonate with and have real personal meaning for our clients,” he added.

Symbol of power, success and prosperity.
The dragon is, of course, a major inspiration, an enduring and international symbol of power, success and prosperity. For these cars, the Rolls‑Royce Bespoke Collective created a modern, minimalistic expression of the dragon never previously seen in a Rolls-Royce, while remaining faithful and respectful to the original form.

Three of the cars include fascia panels adorned with highly contemporary artworks reinterpreting the dragon form. Individually hand-painted by one dedicated Rolls-Royce artist, each is a distinctive exploration of the colour red, which represents prosperity and good fortune in Chinese culture. Each of the three artworks is the result of over two weeks of detailed work.

Creating the complex motif
To create this complex, three-dimensional motif, the artist used multiple hues of red, applied on top of each other in four individual stages. First, the initial outline of the symbol was painted using a ‘feathering’ technique to create a flame effect, as if the dragon were suspended in fire, reflecting its festive, celebratory nature.

This was followed by three further layers in darker shades of red, in which the artist added more details and depth. Each of these colours was individually blended from different proportions of red, white, yellow and brown: this development process alone took three days to complete.

The four layers combine to create a 3D effect so realistic that the artwork appears to have been carved into the fascia.

To achieve such fine detailing, lacquer was meticulously applied after each layer of paint. Lacquering is a delicate process, especially on a white background, since any imperfection – a stray particle of red paint, for example – would become instantly visible. The Rolls-Royce artist spotlessly cleaned and finely sanded every completed layer before each lacquering stage.

Minimalist approach
The dragon motif extends discreetly throughout the interior. It is elegantly depicted in Phoenix Red stitching on the headrests of each of the four seats, providing a bold contrast with the seat leather, which is presented in either Black or White.

To create a dynamic appearance of the dragon, giving the impression of continuous movement, the artisans had to precisely align the stitch direction and adjust stitch density. Strategic variation in stitch angles along the tail enhanced the overall flow, creating a sense of fluidity in the design. Each embroidery comprises 5,449 stitches and took around 20 hours to complete.

In three of the cars, the rear Piano Black picnic tables incorporate a minimalist representation of the circular Chinese zodiac calendar in in-laid stainless steel. The names of the animals representing each year are inscribed in traditional Chinese calligraphy, with the dragon highlighted in gold: the central dragon motif is also depicted in gold. For the fourth, a Bespoke artwork featuring the dragon is inlaid in the Piano Black veneer in stainless steel.

The dragon on the ceiling
The most dramatic expression of the mythical creature is the Bespoke Starlight Headliner, specially created and the result of three months of design and development work. Above the driver and passenger seats, 677 individually placed fibreoptic ‘stars’ form an abstract dragon motif, surrounded by a further 667 lights – positioning them all perfectly by hand took over 20 hours of work.

The unit destined for the Rolls-Royce Private Office Shanghai features a unique expression of the Bespoke Starlight Headliner incorporating red ‘stars’ in a bold and contemporary reference to the symbolism of red in Chinese culture.

Each Phantom Extended commission is completed with a Gallery artwork, carefully protected behind an application of pure glass, that runs uninterrupted across the fascia. Crafted from carbonfibre, it evokes dynamism and motion, complementing the dragon artwork. The interior is completed with Bespoke lambswool carpets, perfectly colour-matched to the leather trim.

Excellence in exterior finishes
The Bespoke designers created unique colourways for the different models, all of which feature a Bespoke coachline, hand-painted in Phoenix Red, that subtly incorporates a dragon motif. Each dragon is orientated to face right, which symbolically represents the East – the direction of the rising sun.

“Our aim was to create a modern interpretation of the dragon capturing its essence as a symbol of power. The design evokes a sense of motion and energy, expressing the dragon as a driving force, all rendered with a depth and complexity to reflect its commanding spirit and presence,” explained  Rebecca Davies, a Bespoke Designer.

The Pearl Cullinan by Rolls-Royce Bespoke