Update: The Leica M for (RED) sold for $1.8 million at auction.
When we first heard Apple’s Jony Ive was going to a design a one-off special edition of the Leica M for charity, we have been wondering what this camera would look like. If we had to guess, naturally we can look at many of the recent Apple products as inspiration. Well, no longer do we need to ponder as images of the future collector’s item have finally been released.
The Leica M for (RED) was co-designed by Ive and London-based Australian industrial designer Marc Newson. Of course, Ive has been getting all the attention due to Apple’s prominence, but Newson is also considered to be one of the most talented designers today, whose trademark style can be seen on everything from housewares to cars and airplane interiors. In fact, the camera bears the design cues of both Ive and Newson, from the curvature of the body to the color and material – aluminum, of course. You can even make comparisons to Apple’s new iPhone 5C, but more sophisticated.
“From a design standpoint, it features a laser machined aluminum body and an anodized aluminum outer shell,” Leica said. “A total of 561 models and nearly 1,000 prototype parts were made during the 85 days it took to create of this unique, one of a kind camera.”
The camera is part of a collection of products curated by Ive and Newson in collaboration with U2 front man Bono, to support the musician and philanthropist’s cause. Besides the camera, the (RED) Auction will include special editions of a Steinway piano, Range Rover, gold Apple EarPods, and a cosmonaut suit, and more. The auction, which will be held on November 23 at Sotheby’s in New York City, will benefit The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. A previous (RED) auction, held in 2008, raised more than $40 million. With Ive and Newson now onboard, it could beat that.
