SHIFTING GEARS: The ’90s, and a whiff of Y2K, have been roaring back onto fashion runways — and soon the fanciest garages, too.
For the latest sale on his digital platform Joopiter, Pharrell Williams has assembled 11 rare and custom vintage automobiles, each with a cool back story and provenance. They go under the hammer Wednesday for one week of online bidding.
Surely one of the buzziest lots must be one of Kenny Scharf’s renowned “Karbombz!” The artist treated his 2008 BMW 328i as a curvy canvas for this bold, colorful designs. It’s estimated to fetch $250,000 to $300,000.
A 1996 De Tomaso Guarà is also eye-catching with its Gumby green paint job and yellow interior accents by owner Phil Toledano, a noted watch collector who has only racked up 3,000 kilometers on the sports car’s odometer. It’s estimated to fetch $175,000 to $200,000.
This 1996 De Tomaso Guarà is one of only 18 fitted with a BMW V8 engine.
Courtesy of Joopiter
Former Giants players and TV personality Michael Strahan is parting ways with his 1991 BMW 850ci Dinan, whose V12 engine produces 525 horsepower.
Dubbed “Joyride,” the sale is being curated in partnership with Morton Street Partners, billed as a “curatorial space” in New York City’s West Village. It was founded by collectible car mavens Jake Auerbach and Benjamin Tarlow, who treat cars as objects of art and design, not simply transportation.
Caitlin Donovan, global head of sales at Joopiter, cited a steady increase in the value of vintage, fashion, furniture and collectibles in recent years.
“Historic pieces from the past, with their enduring craftsmanship and quality, are proving to have more value than current contemporary fashion and collectibles,” she said, adding that the ’80s and ’90s “and their defining characteristics have continued to dominate trends across all categories.”
The vintage cars will remain on display at Morton Street Partners, by appointment, throughout the duration of the auction.
This is the seventh sale for Joopiter, founded in 2022 and dedicated to “rare cultural artifacts.” Lots at past sales have included artworks, collectibles, jewelry and accessories, sneakers, watches and luggage.