UPDATE (22/2/23): The Mercedes x Moncler collaboration has been revealed as a puffer jacket-inspired G-Wagon called the Project Mondo G, marking a new era of artistic design for the German automaker, while also being the debut automotive partnership for Moncler. The exaggerated shape of the SUV reminds us of the Convertible Fat Car sculpture that artist Erwin Wurm revealed to the world in 2006, contrasting the typically aggressive lines of the regular G-Wagon with the quilted contours of Moncler’s signature winter jacket.
“We are very excited about collaborating with Moncler to create another ‘X-factor’ brand moment,” said Mercedes executive Britta Seeger. “This debut collaboration with Moncler opens new horizons and a potential of opportunities for more news to come soon.” With campaign images of Project Mondo G situating the car against the icy landscape Moncler’s jackets are designed for, the transformation of the car aims to demonstrate the versatility of its design language by shifting from function-focused to form-focused, all while retaining its instant recognisability.
Building on the recent and significant collaboration between Mercedes and the late Virgil Abloh in 2020, the car manufacturer is looking to position itself as an active participant in the current cultural conversation, spanning fashion, art, music and beyond. This sculptural project with Moncler is without a doubt a sign of things to come, as Mercedes continues to stretch its legs beyond the worlds of precision engineering and automotive design.
Original article: In a somewhat unexpected collaboration that tells fans to “expect the unexpected,” the folks at Mercedes and Moncler are linking up for a live art show called Project Gravity later this month. While details are scant at this point, the show will be the first automotive partnership for Moncler, where its universally recognisable puffer jackets are reimagined through the lens of automotive design, promising a very puffy G-Wagon.
Created through the Italian fashion house’s Moncler Genius arm that was established to work independently from the typical two-season fashion cycle, the partnership was overseen from the Mercedes side by its Chief Design Officer, Gorden Wagener, who explained in an interview, “we created visuals showing the car as if it was the command module floating down on big parachutes having just returned from the moon.”
Moncler Genius described the yet-to-be-revealed collaboration as a platform that, “now merges two sets of brand codes together, entering a new phase of co-creation focused on human creative skill and imagination to make something each brand couldn’t achieve on its own.” The Mercedes x Moncler Project Gravity is set to be unveiled during the London Design Week 2023.
