993 911 Becomes Streetwear Designer's Inspiration

Two Worlds

The worlds of fashion and automotive design have long been intertwined, with each drawing inspiration from the other. So it should come as no surprise that the founder of the ultra-popular streetwear company ILLEST - Mark Arcenal - is also a car guy, and more specifically, a Porsche guy. But while Arcenal owns a number of fine automobiles, his 993 911 Carrera 4S might just be his favorite, as he recently explained to Hype Beast.

Photos: Mark Arcenal

Prying Away

As it turns out, Arcenal has been trying to purchase this pristine Porsche for some years now and was finally able to do so after a lot of negotiating. "I acquired it just this year but have been trying to buy it for almost three years from a friend," Arcenal said. "Every year I’d ask him to sell it to me and offered to him more than a few times. He’d always say ‘no’ but recently he said, to my surprise, ‘make a better offer’ and so I did. He picked it up from his barn full of cars in Lodi, CA and tossed me the keys."

Photos: Mark Arcenal

>>Join the conversation about this special collaboration 993 right here in Rennlist.com.

Growing Up

Like most of us, Arcenal grew up owning toy cars as a kid, which translated to his adulthood purchase. "It was one of the first diecast models I owned and modified," he said. "I’ve always wanted to own a C4S because of its wide body non-turbo shape. It looked and drove so well when he let me take it for a spin a few years ago. In the years since I started inquiring he’s only added 3k miles to it. It now has 44k miles."

Photos: Mark Arcenal

>>Join the conversation about this special collaboration 993 right here in Rennlist.com.

Not Going Far

Arcenal is just the second owner of his Porsche, which has remained in the same 10-mile radius since it was new. He doesn't keep it stashed away in the garage, however, and routinely drives it to the office and on weekends as a pleasure cruiser. He's also modified it just a tad, but not so much that it has lost its original character

Photos: Mark Arcenal

>>Join the conversation about this special collaboration 993 right here in Rennlist.com.

Few Modifications

"I’ve changed the suspension to KW Clubsports with adjustable top mounts, added some BBS E88 wheels and Michelin tires," Arcenal said. "I’ve also added an OEM Aero lip to match the factory Aero rear wing, thanks to my bodyshop 101 Paintwerks. Very subtle modifications since the car is pristine."

Photos: Mark Arcenal

>>Join the conversation about this special collaboration 993 right here in Rennlist.com.

Work of Art

"Cars to me are pieces of art," Arcenal said. "I admire the lines and design of well thought-out cars, and the Porsche 911 to me is one of the best designs ever made. Its shape hasn’t changed since it was first introduced in 1963. When I started my brand I would always use my cars in photoshoots even if they were in build mode. Cars became a part of our brand unintentionally. These days, cars are used in every brand’s lookbook which is nice to see."

Photos: Mark Arcenal

>>Join the conversation about this special collaboration 993 right here in Rennlist.com.

It's a Keeper

In total, Arcenal has owned 30 Porsches in his lifetime, mostly older 911s. He's trimmed that number down quite a bit in recent years but still wants to add a 550 Spyder to his current collection. In total, he's owned 120 vehicles, but this one doesn't seem to be going anywhere, anytime soon.

Photos: Mark Arcenal

>>Join the conversation about this special collaboration 993 right here in Rennlist.com.

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