World-renowned fashion designer Vivienne Tam and HP are rocking the technology and fashion world. Today, they announced the two are working together to create a special edition laptop notebook positioned to become the ultimate tech accessory for fashionistas around the globe.
Vivienne Tam and HP unveiled the design of the new must-have digital clutch on the catwalk today at Tam’s fashion show during New York’s Fashion Week at Bryant Park. The HP Vivienne Tam Special Edition notebook represents the first time a computer company has partnered with a globally renowned designer to create a notebook PC that offers all the style and power needed for a delightful technology experience.
The top of the notebook is gleaming red and bursting with peony flowers. The peony design is meticulously carried inside the notebook, under the keypad. The notebook also features a complementary embroidered storage sleeve that helps keep the exterior protected while being carried as a clutch. Tam personally designed the finishing touches, including an elegant embroidered HP Vivienne Tam sleeve that will ship with the notebook to help keep the exterior protected.
Here’s a shot of the laptop’s “enter” key complete with a double happiness logo.
The peony design features a unique blend of Asian and Western cultures, antiquity and modern style, technology and fashion. It was inspired by Tam’s “China Chic” style, which is recognized from the runways in Milan to the Olympics in Beijing and represents her personal mantra to live well and be beautiful.
“When I was approached by HP to create a special edition notebook, I could see the design in my head instantly,” said Tam. “The notebook is a true reflection of the needs of a modern woman who cares about fashion but is also passionate about her technology. I wanted to create a notebook that would appeal to women of all ages, ethnicities and income levels across the globe.”
“The peony is the national flower of China. They are beautiful and symbolize prosperity, good fortune and happiness,” said Tam. “Their many layers are similar to a modern woman who is as savvy in expressing herself with her personal style as she is with weaving technology into the fabric of her rich and multi-faceted life.”
“With ‘China Chic,’ Vivienne Tam reinterpreted traditional Chinese art into a global fashion trend,” said Satjiv Chahil, senior vice president, Worldwide Marketing, Personal Systems Group, HP. “With her spring collection, Tam has helped HP take the personal computer from a necessity to a lifestyle and fashion ‘must have.’”
The HP Vivienne Tam Special Edition notebook is expected to be available early next year. Available January 2009 in North America, with worldwide rollout to follow. UPDATE: Buy the HP Mini 1000 Vivienne Tam Edition
If you can’t wait til next year, you can take a spin at the “Tech chic” virtual experience. In addition to working with Tam on the new notebook design and accessories, HP today launched a fully integrated virtual experience to help fashionistas around the globe find design inspiration online. HP has created a virtual catwalk, a designer tour hosted by Tam, and a “design bot” gadget inspiring users to dress up their computers with Tam-designed wallpaper, screensaver and icons – all of which are available now in the United States and in early October worldwide. You can take a look at the Vivienne Tam Virtual Catwalk.
Runway highlights from Vivienne Tam at Fashion Week New York, Spring 2009.
Full Runway video from Vivienne Tam at Fashion Week New York, Spring 2009
About Vivienne Tam
Vivienne Tam is a leading designer fashion house founded in 1994. The company produces, designs and markets women’s contemporary apparel distributed in major department stores, specialty stores and independent boutiques throughout the U.S. The company also has a strong presence in the Asia Pacific region with over 30 freestanding stores and in-store boutiques.
The Vivienne Tam brand’s unique positioning – designs that meld the aesthetic and feminine mystique of Asia with the spirit of the modern world – is well recognized in both the U.S. and Asia. The company’s philosophy is to create harmonious clothing that enhances one’s personality while at the same time provide fashionable clothing for modern women that is beautifully designed, superior in quality, wearable, easy to travel with and affordable.