On The Road

Could any other phrase conjure up images of a moody lone driver cruising through the American Southwest in a classic car? Endless sky above and exotic cacti breezing by. The dry desert air sweeping over the aerodynamic lines of the steel body. It’s so picturesque that it reads like a California dream sequence.

But, with the vision of Larusmiani fashion entrepreneur Guglielmo Miani’s Fuori Concorso, the network of The Car Shrink, and the execution of LSX, this fantasy became reality.

Under the leadership of Miani, the Italian team assembled initially to shoot the luxurious new Larusmiani collection. Then, inspired by the California cool backdrop, took the clothes and the cars on the road with Fuori Concorso. The auto brand first splashed onto the scene with a decadent Lake Como celebration for Bentley’s 100th birthday. Custom-built Bentley Continentals from the flashy 1990s parked around the Villa del Grumello compound like big-bodied jewels in a modern take on the concours concept. For Fuori Concorso to ease into the laid-back West Coast, the team called in Bryant Kreaden of The Car Shrink. Kreaden, the ultimate car connector, could make anything happen, and effortlessly secured the vintage cars. LSX entered the picture next to handle all rally logistics.  

Then, with everything in pace, it began like any great story--with an Italian wine-drenched dinner under the desert night sky. The intimate gathering took place in the Gene Autry suite of the elegant Parker Hotel. Guests enjoyed heirloom tomato with burrata, wagyu braised short rib paired with lobster, goat cheese and herb risotto, garden fresh vegetables, and an elegant dessert of honey vanilla panna cotta with red berry consommé and fresh berries.

The next morning--with coffee, walkie-talkies in hand, and bespoke gift bags generously sponsored by Larusmiani, Bulgari, Person, Branca--guests took to the road in a fleet of all white and vintage dream cars. The destination? The natural dreamscape of Joshua Tree National Park. With coordinates locked in, each guest received a car and hit the road.

It was a stunning and perfectly timed procession of a 1962 Studebaker Avanti, 1967 Maserati Quattroporte, 1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto, 1969 Ford Mustang, 1973 Iso Grifo Series 2, 1990 BWM M3, 2019 Ferrari 812 SuperFast, 1980 Camaro, 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow 2, 1986 Lamborghini Countach, 2007 Ferrari 430 Scuderia, and a Mercedes 560 SL.

After two hours, the elite fleet pulled up for a gourmet lunch at the Thermal Club, a private resort focused exclusively on motorsports. This rendez-vous was arranged courtesy of club member Ryan Negri of R3 Motorsports. Once the leisurely lunch concluded, the group met up for a tour of a home designed by William Cody in honor of Modernism Week 2020. The famed architect left his mark on Palm Springs with his signature modernist lines of glass and steel. And then, it was on the road again for a sunset drive to another fabulous Mr. Parker dinner.