Mercedes-Benz has honoured the recently deceased Virgil Abloh with the presentation of the “Project Maybach” design study. “As a humble contribution to Virgil’s legacy,” reads the press release, “the Mercedes-Maybach showcar illustrates the possibilities of future design.” The study, it says, is the result of a long-running collaboration with the multi-talented artist, architect, creative director, fashion designer and philanthropist – driven by a shared passion to enrich the discourse on luxury design.
Project Maybach, he says, was developed from scratch, in a design “never before shown by Mercedes-Benz”. Gorden Wagener and Virgil Abloh had interpreted the luxury functionality of the brand with a new design language, breaking new ground in terms of functional design and style. Detached from any production requirements and with absolute creative freedom, the design teams had developed a vision of luxury travel in the age of electric driving. The show car is not afraid to polarise through provocative design. It manifests Abloh’s passion for challenging the status quo and rewriting the rules of sophisticated design. Inspired by the great outdoors, the two-seater off-road coupe with electric drive combines impressive Gran Turismo proportions, large off-road wheels and striking add-on parts, it says, putting a traditionally urban brand in context with a clearly distinguishable off-road environment.
“Mercedes-Benz,” it continues, “deeply regrets the passing of Virgil Abloh. Our thoughts are with Virgil’s family and his teams. To respectfully honour the work of a unique design talent whose unbridled imagination created endless possibilities for collaboration and inspired all who knew his work, Mercedes-Benz is opening Project Maybach, and with it Virgil’s unique vision, to the public.”
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