Chinese electric car company Nio has launched its debut clothes collection in collaboration with experimental fashion designer Hussein Chalayan.

The limited edition capsule collection, called Neo Extreme, contains 18 pieces including hoodies, polo shirts, t-shirts and dresses. Each is inspired by the company's Nio EP9 car, which is the world's fastest electric car.

"The Nio Extreme collection embodies the spirit of pushing limits and breaking boundaries," said Alexander Åhnebrink, design director of Nio Life, the lifestyle subsidiary of the company.

Nio chose to work with Chalayan specifically because of his close relationship to technology. His innovative designs fuse fashion with technology, science, architecture and film.

The London-based fashion designer is known for designing clothes that dissolve, dresses that incorporate moving parts operated by remote control, and a robot dress loaded with Swarovski crystals. His designs have been worn by Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham and Rhianna.

"Both Chalayan and Nio push boundaries and test limits in their respective industries," said Åhnebrink. "He is also very close to technology."

Extreme is comprised of two parts, the Speed Collection and the Movement Collection. Both parts of the collection are designed to reflect the way that the movement of the body is expressed through the fabric.

One piece named Shell, that opened the show, is a 3D-printed concept piece that incorporates a sturdy outer shell and a draping inner skirt. The item explores the contrast between hard and soft textures and the balance between technology and humanism.

The Nio Extreme collection was launched at Shanghai Fashion Week in October 2018. Chalayan is the only designer to have been awarded the title of British Designer of the Year in the Fashion Awards for two years in a row. He was also one of four designers awarded the London Design Medal during London Design Festival 2018.

The collaboration with Chalayan falls under the relatively new Nio Life division of the car company. Nio Life was founded by Nio in April 2018 and will offer high-quality, custom-designed products to Nio users.

This offering represents the brand's attempt to create an ecosystem and community that goes beyond the car. Also in an attempt to move beyond the vehicle itself, IKEA's innovation lab Space10 explored the potential of autonomous vehicles and their impact on everyday life with seven concepts that include a mobile cafe and a farm on wheels.

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