BMW Group Launches the Exclusive "Elie Saab Limited Edition"

BMW Group Middle East has tied up with world-famous fashion designer
Elie Saab, the haute couturier of choice for recent Oscar-winning and
nominated actresses such as Halle Berry, to produce a special and
limited edition of the award-winning BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicle.
The BMW X5 "Elie Saab Limited Edition" comes in two different
and unique exterior and interior colour combinations mirroring Elie
Saab's latest collections which are based on the use of black and white
as the main theme. "This innovative project with Elie Saab is yet
another example of how we conceptualise outstandingly different
products which will truly capture the imaginations and appeal to the
tastes of our discerned customers across the Middle East," said
Robert Bailey-McEwan, Managing Director, BMW Group Middle East.
"Cars and fashion are closely related; what we drive and what we
wear expresses our personalities and reflects our sense of style. The
BMW X5 Elie Saab Limited Edition is the ultimate reflection of style
and performance," he added. Ehab Shouly, Regional Marketing
Manager of BMW Group Middle East, who developed the concept of the Elie
Saab Limited Edition, said that the famous Lebanese designer was chosen
because he is among the top ten worldwide, and more importantly, he is
the most respected Arab designer. "Any marketing project that we
undertake in the Middle East has to be relevant to the region and has
to appeal to the people of our region. That's why we chose Elie Saab
because he is from this region but embodies the same international
standards as BMW," Speaking at the press conference in Dubai to
announce the collaboration, Elie Saab said "Fashion and cars share
a passion for design, and as designers alike, we are in the constant
search of creating and fusing lines, colours and materials in an
evocative and original way." Saab, himself a fan of BMW design and
long-time owners of a number of BMW cars, said he was proud and
delighted to be chosen by an international premium car manufacturer
like BMW Group to "dress" one of the most innovative cars in
terms of design on the road today. The BMW X5 "Elie Saab Limited
Edition" is in both the X5 4.4 and 4.6 engine variants. Saab's
interpretation of the X5's character reflects a mixture of elegance,
glamour, luxury and innovation yet in its entirety, the refined
understatement is the ultimate allure of this limited edition. A
unique highlight of Elie Saab's fashion shows is his bridal collections;
the wedding dresses are completely embroidered with opaque crystals,
precious fabrics, capes and never ending trains turning the bride into
a "queen for the night". Being his favourite creations, the
bridal collection inspired the development and implementation of the
"Elie Saab Limited Edition" in which 100 X5 vehicles were
produced - only for the Middle East region - under the theme of
"perfect marriage of luxury and exclusivity". Elie Saab,
"dressed" the BMW X5 as a tribute to every bride and groom.
"This special edition features the classic 'bride and groom' colour
combinations; white body colour with white leather interior, and black
body colour with white leather interior. Special features include a DVD
system with two 6.5-inch monitors integrated into the backrest of the
front seats," Shouly pointed out. The white leather interior of
both versions of the "Elie Saab Limited Edition" stands out
brilliantly against the black wood trim, plush black carpet and black
roof lining, the classic contrast of the black and white interior is
strikingly eye-catching. These special edition BMW X5 vehicles are also
distinguished from the exterior with an elegant chrome plaque with the
inscription "Elie Saab Limited Edition" in the style of the
designer's logo, while the interior features the designer's elegant
signature in chromed silver. "Emotion and expression, love and
passion, chaos and creativity, beauty, precision and perfection - all
these notions are just as essential to fashion as they are to BMW's
design philosophy," Shouly said. The ideas were realized under
the direction of BMW Individual, the section of BMW M GmbH, which
specialises in implementing individual customised designs. BMW
Individual has a proven track record with the world of fashion. In 1992,
Karl Lagerfeld presented the first BMW 7 Series designed by him, two
more followed. In 2000, German fashion designer Sonja Kiefer designed
three BMW 3 Series.