South African Fashion Dynasty Fabiani Has Porsche Roots

Family Ties

Porsche has long been an inspiration for fashion designers. And it's easy to see why. The automaker has churned out some incredibly beautiful machines over the last seven-plus decades, after all. So we weren't terribly surprised to learn that the family-owned South African fashion dynasty Fabiani has strong ties to Porsche, as the automaker found out when they sat down with father/son duo Jeff and Arie Fabian recently.

Photos: Porsche 

Meaning of Life

Arie's 1974 911 Carrera S Coupe has been in the family for years now, originally purchased by Jeff and then passed down. "The car is a real work of art, a Picasso of motor sports." Jeff said. But that isn't the only thing that attracted him to the car. Arie was born in 1974, and both wear watches constructed in their birth years as well. And that tells you everything you need to know about this father/son duo and their propensity to focus on the details. 

Photos: Porsche

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Three Generations

"Tradition is everything. My father is a role model for all my values," Arie said. Jeff expresses it with a wink: "I was never one of the crowd. If everyone marched to the right, I'd turn left." That focus has helped steer Fabiani through three generations after it originally began when Arie's grandmother emigrated from East Prussia to Cape Town just before World War II. There, she opened a small clothing store to make ends meet. 

Photos: Porsche

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Family Affair

Incredibly, Jeff followed suit by opening his own fashion store in Cape Town at the tender age of 16. At the time, he was the only store in town selling some of the world's top fashion brands. So when Arie came along, he obviously followed in those footsteps. He turned out to be a natural salesman with an eye for fashion and spent time selling products all over the world for a number of years before eventually taking over Fabiani.  

Photos: Porsche

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Caretaker

These days, following the sale of the Fabiani brand to The Foschini Group, Arie has a lot more time on his hands to enjoy life. And that means more time to enjoy his beloved Porsche, of course. "I love to drive the car in everyday life," Arie said. "But I live in the seaside suburb of Clifton. The sea breeze is no good for the 911." Which is why the Porsche lives in Jeff's home garage. 

Photos: Porsche

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Fanatical Care

To his credit, Jeff calls himself a "car fanatic with a pronounced passion for collecting classic vehicles." He has masterfully preserved the family 911, even quipping that "you can eat off this engine." So perhaps the car's current living arrangement is for the best. 

Photos: Porsche

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More Than a Feeling

Listening to the Aries speak about the Porsche, it's clear that a passion for fashion isn't the only thing Jeff passed down to him. "My father has petrol in his blood, I'm a brand fan. A Porsche naturally conveys feelings while driving. But it goes beyond that. I see the Porsche brand as inspiring, sexy and successful. Porsche is also pure emotion off the beaten track! Even as a six-year-old I found the shape unique and drew a Porsche pulling a caravan and told my father that I dreamt of driving a Porsche and being independent. About 30 years later Abba gave me this 911. It symbolizes our common history and our unique bond in such a special way. When I drive this 911, I feel everything I have experienced."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about Fabiani's Porsche connection right here in Rennlist.com.

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