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Bentley x Surgeon Case Study
Bentley’s customer base traditionally skews older and male, but we were asked to find a way for the brand to authentically connect with a younger, more diverse audience of high-net-worth individuals. To add to the ask, Bentley also wanted to demonstrate the customizability of their vehicles, an offering that allows customers to co-create a Bentley that’s uniquely theirs.

The campaign was truly multi-faceted in its execution including product design, packaging design, animation, social, experiential and PR.

Our answer was a collaboration in craftmanship with Dominic Ciambrone. Known as The Surgeon, Ciambrone is a self-taught cobbler who’s risen to become a streetwear icon and the world’s leading sneaker customizer.

The Surgeon’s unique creations represent the pinnacle of footwear, beautifully crafted with only the most luxurious materials and worn by the world’s biggest names in sports, fashion and music. This unique partnership enabled Bentley to authentically connect with a new younger and more diverse audience with a deep appreciation of style, materials and artistry.

Inspired by his visit to the Bentley factory in England, Dominic created a line of limited-edition sneakers from Bentley materials and finishes. The shoes were uniquely stitched like a Bentley vehicle’s steering wheel, diamond-quilted like their exquisite interiors, and comprised of the same leather and veneers you’d find on Bentley’s factory floor.

The partnership included only 30 pairs of sneakers, and one unique pair served as the keys to a one-of-one Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid x The Surgeon. Revealed at Art Basel, The Surgeon designed the vehicle with his own distinctive aesthetic. In fact, Bentley’s scrupulous commitment to The Surgeon’s designs led to the invention of a brand-new veneer engraving technique now known as “tattooed veneer.”

The resulting vehicle successfully showcased the capabilities of Bentley’s Mulliner team and garnered fresh hype from style, fashion, and design media, as well as automotive titles. The chatter around the drop was so significant that the one-of-one vehicle & shoe pairing was sold for $463,000 before it was even revealed at Art Basel, but that didn’t stop a crowd of young and diverse customers from attending the event and admiring Bentley’s latest collaboration.

Outside of Miami, the work was talked about by a who’s who of musicians, pro athletes, streetwear influencers and more, amplifying the reach of the program to young audiences across the world. Following the work’s release, Bentley’s customization offerings exploded in popularity, helping them achieve their highest margins per vehicle ever.