Rolls-Royce's new fashion-inspired Wraith is haute couture on wheels

There was a very specific palette of vocabulary at this week's unveiling of the new Rolls-Royce Wraith Inspired by Fashion. Luxury. Couture. Silk. Soft. Style. Bespoke. These words were echoed time and time again as the relatively small gathering of press and industry people — all dressed in variations of "business chic," as the invitation requested — all took turns jumping in and out of the car, hands full with glasses of champagne or DSLRs. Sometimes both.

Yes, Inspired by Fashion is still a Wraith, with an overabundance of Rolls-Royce iconography scattered all over both the interior and exterior, but it doesn't feel much like the Wraith Inspired by Film we saw earlier this year. If anything, these two models stand at opposite ends of the Wraith spectrum. The two-tone exterior (Andalucian White and Arctic White) is less obvious here, but it does complement the thin, jasmine accent stripe that stretches on either side of the hood from the grill to the window. Rolls-Royce designer Michelle Lusby pointed out the softer materials, and indeed, the interior's use of silk and silk-like materials gave the car an overall more welcoming feel than its Film counterpart.

Of course, with Rolls-Royce, the emphasis is on bespoke, and the "inspiration" series is meant to serve as, well, inspiration for buyers who might want to add more personal touches. Or maybe just a tasteful package to take as is; Rolls-Royce North America President Erich Shepherd told us at the event that while 95 percent of all Wraith cars last year left with at least some element of bespoke design, most of the Inspired by Film buyers have so far taken the car without additional bespoke customizations.

There's still at least one more "inspiration" model to come, albeit not until sometimes in the second half of this year. No indication what that might be, although we'd love Rolls-Royce to try for something a little more daring with their colors. Perhaps Wraith Inspired by EDM Concerts In The Last Hour Or So As Everyone Is Getting Tired But The Lighting System Is Still Kind Of Going Into Overdrive To Try And Pep The Crowd Up.