Virgil Abloh Redesigns Mercedes-Benz’s Iconic G-Class Race Car
With the unveiling of Project Geländewagen, the multi-hyphenate creative can add automotive designer to his list of talents
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Virgil Abloh is a man of many talents. Not only is he the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear collection and founder of his own label, Off-White, but he is also a DJ, a product designer, and an art curator. Now, he is adding automotives to the already hefty roster. The multi-hyphenate creative has unveiled his design for the G-Class, the iconic race car by Mercedes-Benz.
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Titled Project Geländewagen, the vehicle retains its classic shape but features a few Abloh signatures. Cast in white and adorned with bright red and blue fixtures, it stays true to the sleek, sporty aesthetic that has made Abloh beloved by hypebeasts and baes. Abloh managed to take the essence of the G-Class and update it to fit the trend du jour—a quality that appealed to the storied car manufacturer.
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“With Project Geländewagen we create a unique artwork that showcases future interpretations of luxury and the desire for beauty and the extraordinary,” said Gorden Wagener, chief design officer of Mercedes-Benz. “The result is something between reality and future. The collaboration with Virgil has seen two distinct design philosophies unite, for a one-of-a-kind re-imagination of the G that continues to celebrate the extraordinary at its core.”
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Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Along with offering a new vision for vehicle design, proceeds from Project Geländewagen will support the Virgil Abloh™️ "Post-Modern" Scholarship Fund, an initiative the designer founded in July that provides scholarships to Black individuals looking for careers in the fashion industry. The unique car will be auctioned as part of Sotheby’s Contemporary Curated series, with advance bidding opening on September 14.
“My ultimate goal in this project with Mercedes-Benz is inspiring young artists, engineers, designers to question the status quo, in addition to experimenting with my own design abilities,” said Abloh in a statement. “For me, it’s all about providing opportunities for those coming after me and giving this next generation a foundation for success.”
This story originally appeared on Harper's BAZAAR US