SHANGHAI: At The City of Genius show in Shanghai on October 19, 2024, Mercedes-Benz and Moncler took the bold next step in their collaboration.
Alongside the launch of the brand campaign, “Past Forward. Where the Future is Driven by the Past”, the partners unveiled a one-off art piece, “Project G-Class Past II Future”, inspired by NIGO.
It’s based on a G-Class from the 90s that was completely restored. NIGO reworked numerous design elements inside and out to revive the design and brings it into the cultural landscape of the present.
The G-Class Past II Future is a new G-Class model with a limited run of only 20 cars and is inspired by the art piece.
At the show, the audience also got a sneak preview of Moncler’s new collection of urban, gender-neutral fashion designed by Mercedes-Benz and Moncler together with NIGO.
Both the limited-edition G-Class and the capsule collection will be launched in April 2025.
Alongside Mercedes-Benz and NIGO, the Shanghai event additionally hosted several other artists, who presented their own respective collaborations with Moncler: A$AP Rocky and Willow Smith, Edward Enninful (OBE), FRGMT by Hiroshi Fujiwara, Gilga Farm by Donald Glover, LuLu Li and Palm Angels.
In addition to the Moncler Genius 2024 lineup, special showcases were presented by Rick Owens and Jil Sander.
“NIGO’s immense creative talent and our co-creation with Moncler are taking us into an exciting urban setting. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class Past II Future is a very special new ‘twist’ on our icon. This limited edition is a fresh take on 90s style and the character that's made the G-Class a timeless favourite. Going from inspiring art to engaging products marks an important step in our creative cooperation and offers a new brand experience captured by the zeitgeist,” said Mercedes-Benz AG vice president communications & marketing Bettina Fetzer.
NIGO’s creation is the second art piece to emerge from the collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and Moncler.
Like the PROJECT MONDO G, launched at Moncler’s “The Art of Genius” show in London in February 2023, this art piece merges the distinctively quilted aesthetic of the Moncler puffer jacket with the unmistakeable edginess of the G-Class.
Measuring 4.5 metres in length, 1.9 metres in width and 2.0 metres in height, the art piece features a minimalistic, matte two-tone contemporary colour palette in olive green and grey, which is offset by striking exterior accents in black and gold.
The clean lines of the classic G-Class cabriolet give it a contemporary attitude.
Hallmark G-Class functionality and design cues are retained and reinterpreted.
These include the iconic spare wheel on the rear tailgate, black steel wheels in the 90s design, a foldable windscreen, and a gold-coloured fuel can.
The interior has also been reworked. Among other elements, G-Class enthusiast Devon Turnbull – known for his immersive audio installations – has designed a sound system that fits perfectly into the vehicle concept, both technically and visually.
The music “boom boxes” are mounted on the convertible top linkage and - like the entire roof and the speakers - can be removed. Its chequered seat upholstery pattern is an interpretation of a design element typical of earlier G-Class models.
Accents in orange and gold draw parallels with the collaborative fashion collection by Mercedes-Benz, Moncler and NIGO.
