Toyota and UNDERCOVER Head Designer Jun Takahashi embarked on an unprecedented cross-industry collaboration with the introduction of Agyo X UNDERCOVER. As innovators in their respective fields, Toyota and UNDERCOVER have reimagined the Aygo X as the best of both brands and a new icon of the rebellious spirit that Jun Takahashi is known for.
Quoted from the Toyota Europe Newsroom, this unique crossover premiered simultaneously with The UNDERCOVER Fall 2023 Catwalk Show at Paris Fashion Week. Aygo X UNDERCOVER presents unique interior and exterior design features, with a limited production of only 5,000 units.
Inspired by Takahashi's design philosophy of non-conformity and fighting stereotypes, design updates include an exclusive bi-tone gray body color specially developed by Toyota, coral red accents for the black 18-inch wheels and interior, branded seats and monogrammed car mats, and a motto CHAOS / BALANCE shown on the sticker on the roof of the car.
The familiar UNDERCOVER theme of overlapping contrasts – punk and couture, digital and analog – is extended to this collaboration as now the fashion and automotive worlds synergize perfectly to drive a launch campaign in a semi-fictional world between Paris and Tokyo.
A 'hidden city' where the virtual and physical are obscured, inspired by the look and lifestyle of the two places at the heart of the collaboration. Where the underground culture of Harajuku meets the contemporary savoir faire of Le Marais. Occupied by a community raised in UNDERCOVER filled with Jun Takahashi's signature Easter eggs for fans to discover.
Since first arriving on the European market in 2005, the Aygo has not only been Toyota's most accessible car, but has also delighted customers with its youthful character and fun ro drive. These qualities have attracted many new buyers in Europe who like the Toyota style.
By moving from a hatchback to a crossover, Toyota European designers have created a unique emotional experience in the new Aygo X that can be felt by the driver, passengers, even if someone sees him pass by.
"We knew that UNDERCOVER could extend the strong character of the Aygo X even further, and were excited to explore how Jun's fashion language could be translated into the car development process," said Tadao Mori, Head of Styling Design at Toyota Europe. “Fashion design and car design have a lot in common, but Jun introduced us to a whole new way of looking at color, and ideas on how to incorporate more everyday details to create something more exciting and unexpected.”
UNDERCOVER was founded in 1990 by Jun Takahashi and is widely known in the Harajuku underground scene for being able to combine unique arts, street clothes, and music sub-cultures. In time, the brand developed synergies with other collaborators and found global recognition with high-end fashion in Paris. UNDERCOVER has been featured for over a decade, but has always been true to the 'rebel' spirit and unique ideology at the heart of the design.
