Mercedes-Benz launched its Spring/Summer 2017 fashion campaign and film, Burning Desire, presenting the new four-door CLA. Shot by renowned Swedish director Christian Larson, the campaign features style rebels and partners, the English musician Eliot Sumner, and the German model Lucie Von Alten. In the spotlight is the rebel of the Mercedes-Benz family, the CLA. A four-door-coupé offering impeccable performance, its eye-catching sporty design and fierce attitude has been further enhanced by the strength of desire that burns between Eliot Sumner and Lucie Von Alten. Both powerful individualists, they share with the CLA a rebellious urge to stand out from the crowd.
The campaign was shot on location in an old steel warehouse attached to an unused stone quarry in Bucharest, Romania. Raw and powerful, it was an apt environment to capture the rebellious spirit of the CLA. A true visionary, Larson has worked with many of the world’s most innovative artists, including Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Kylie Minogue.
Style leaders Eliot Sumner and Lucie Von Alten are another crucial element of the Mercedes-Benz Spring/Summer 2017 campaign. Sumner, who signed her first record deal at the age of 17, is more than comfortable in her own skin, having inherited an enviable strength and poise from her parents, the legendary musician Sting and the acclaimed film producer and director Trudie Styler
Von Alten is a model at the very top of her game, having been the face of campaigns for Marc Jacobs and appeared in top international. This is the first time Lucie has fronted a campaign for an automotive brand.
Empowerment is the Georgian-born, London-based designer David Koma’s forte. His eponymous line is infused with a potent spirit of visceral power thanks to his mastery of the sculptural, body-contouring silhouette, a quality he also brings to Mugler as its creative director. Koma dressed Von Alten in one of the rigorously defined looks from the David Koma Autumn/Winter 2016 collection, shown during London Fashion Week in February 2016, and created a bespoke look for Sumner for the Mercedes-Benz Spring/Summer 2017 Fashion Campaign.
The result is a campaign that sizzles with burning desire and audacious rebellion, the perfect embodiment of CLA’s status within the Mercedes-Benz family. The Spring/Summer 2017 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Campaign pushes boundaries and challenges the norm through its creative concept and dynamic cast as well as appealing to a contemporary audience, highlighting the progressive nature of the brand. The last 21 years have seen Mercedes-Benz establish itself globally as a key partner at selected fashion events. The brand is currently involved in more than 50 international fashion platforms globally.
The parallels between exclusive cars and luxury fashion collections were identified within the Group at an early stage. Both worlds recognize passion, style, ground-breaking design, the finest materials and first-class technical innovations as critical factors for success. Mercedes-Benz has therefore consistently supported select fashion events around the world over the course of two decades, forging in particular an admirable reputation for the promotion of young design talent.
