Mercedes-Benz: Dedicated to Fashion from 1995 to 2015: Partnering the international fashion industry for 20 years
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STUTTGART -- July 7, 2015: Mercedes-Benz has now been
involved in the world of international fashion for two decades. The
Stuttgart-based automotive company first sponsored the Mercedes-Benz
Fashion Week Australia in Sydney and Melbourne in 1995, and the number of
its alliances and initiatives has grown continuously ever since. Today, the
Mercedes-Benz brand displays its dedication to fashion on more than 50
platforms in over 40 countries.
"Trend-setting design, pioneering innovations and modern
luxury are firmly embedded in Mercedes-Benz's DNA. The parallels between
fashion and cars are obvious, because the design process for both requires
creativity, the highest levels of craftsmanship and technical expertise,
but also courage if you want to establish yourself outside the
international mainstream," said Dr. Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing
Mercedes-Benz Cars. "As an international fashion industry partner for 20
years, we are proud to have supported platforms all over the world, and
particularly to have been involved in promoting talented young
designers."
Fashion Platforms around the
Globe
Mercedes-Benz
supports more than 50 fashion platforms from Paris, London and Milan to
Istanbul, Moscow, Tokyo, Beijing and Buenos Aires – as well as
Berlin, of course.
From the very beginning,
promoting the next generation of designers has been a priority for
Mercedes-Benz, itself a premium brand. As a result, it also takes an active
part in events that focus on launching creative new talents and on
networking in the industry. One such event is the Festival International de
Mode et de Photographie in Hyères. In 30 years it has evolved into a highly
acclaimed competition for young designers that provides an informal, open
setting in which the finalists present themselves to the international
fashion industry. As well as Mercedes-Benz, its sponsors include major
fashion houses such as Chanel and Chloé.
The
Berliner Mode Salon is a new platform for German fashion that was created
in early 2015 to reflect Germany's creativity and professionalism. As part
of this initiative, Mercedes-Benz will be showcasing the three German
finalists from Hyères, Annelie Schubert, Anna Bornhold and Christina Braun,
during the Spring/Summer 2016 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin.
Designer Exchange
Programme
The direct
promotion of highly talented young fashion designers has been important to
Mercedes-Benz for many years. As part of its global designer exchange
programme, the company enables up-and-coming talents to show their
creations on platforms outside their home market and thus to gain exposure
to an international audience and the world's press.
Together with Elle fashion magazine, the company also
offers one new designer a season the opportunity to show their collection
at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. In past seasons they have included
Satu Maaranen, Iris van Herpen, Steven Tai, Yu Amatsu, Paper London and
Roshi Porkar.
Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Campaigns
Every
season for the past eight years, Mercedes-Benz has further emphasised its
dedication to fashion by producing a campaign including an fashion motive
and a fashion film. For these campaigns it has commissioned some of the
most prestigious fashion photographers – including Mario Testino,
Peter Lindbergh, Nick Knight and Collier Schorr – as well as famous
models such as Tilda Swinton, Lara Stone, Karlie Kloss and Joan Smalls. Its
17th fashion campaign, for spring/summer 2016, will be unveiled
in July during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin. Directed by Carlyne Cerf
de Dudzeele, 'Hybrid by Nature' will feature Dutch supermodel Doutzen Kroes
and the new Mercedes-Benz GLC Plug-In Hybrid.
Fashion Creatives and Style
Profiles
Mercedes-Benz
also produces two video series that are available to an international
audience at Mercedes-Benz Fashion.
Fashion Creatives follows fashion business insiders such as Justin
O’Shea and Veronika Heilbrunner and provides extremely entertaining
insights into their life, work and very individual lifestyles. In Style
Profiles, fashion icons such as Hanneli Mustaparta, Quentin Jones and Ada
Kokosar talk about what inspires them and their defining aesthetic
influences, while performers such as rapper Theophilus London and taekwondo
champion Paige McPherson embark on a film adventure with their favourite
model of Mercedes‑Benz car.