For Agusta, ‘Versace’ is Italian for ‘exclusive’

By Jennifer Harrington

February 26, 2008
Cabin interior and electronics

AgustaWestland (Booth No. 3039) unveiled its exclusive AW139 Versace interior Sunday, but the Italian OEM was quick to point out that it did not expand its line of exclusive interiors and layouts for money or profit.

According to Renzo Lunardi, senior v-p of the company’s commercial business unit, AgustaWestland wanted to offer its customers a product that would inspire and create emotion. “The objective is not to make money, because this is not a commercial product,” Lunardi told HAI Convention News. “This is an artistic product. This is a unique product.”

The company first showcased the Versace interior in an A109S Grand light twin at Heli-Expo’07 and expanded the line this year to include the AW139. Lunardi said “five or six” Versace helicopters have been sold to date, but he noted that “numbers aren’t important. It’s important that we are exclusive.”

A Versace spokeswoman said that a majority of helicopter customers choose the black-and-white color scheme, based on Versace’s Home collection, but the company is willing to customize the interior based on the customer’s preferences. She added that the leather seats and floor tiles are handmade because the company prides itself on the craftsmanship of its work.

The first two A109S helicopters with Versace interiors–ordered last April–are scheduled to be delivered next month, Lunardi said. He added that it takes approximately a year for the Italian designer to complete the custom interiors.

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