Author Topic: Mercedes-Benz's fashion involvement autumn/winter 2019  (Read 4126 times)

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Mercedes-Benz's fashion involvement autumn/winter 2019
« on: January 15, 2019, 02:24:59 PM »
Berlin. At Mercedes-Benz's invitation, designer Amesh Wijesekera from Sri Lanka today presented his autumn/winter 2019 collection on the MBFW Berlin runway. The show was part of the automotive manufacturer's junior development scheme, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2019. Bettina Haussmann, Head of Branded Entertainment at Mercedes-Benz, then opened the anniversary exhibition on the ewerk's forecourt and announced the new name for the scheme: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talents.

For his autumn/winter 2019 collection, Amesh Wijesekera drew inspiration from his Sri Lankan roots and his life between the European megacity of London and the island in the Indian Ocean. The result is a blend of high-tech know-how and traditional craftsmanship. Skilled weavers and hand-knitters use fabrics displaying richness of detail and elaborate surface structures to bring the psychedelic energy and mythical nature surrounding Sri Lanka to life. Thick knits and patterned fabrics in vibrant colours such as red, magenta, orange, yellow, lime green and azure complemented by black and white dominate the voluminous silhouettes. Styled with lace-ups, sneakers or boots and antique Sri Lankan jewellery, the unisex collection interweaves different worlds to create a harmonious and at the same time eclectic look.

"Ten Years of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talents" exhibition

After the fashion show, Bettina Haussmann, Head of Branded Entertainment at Mercedes-Benz, welcomed visitors to the exhibition marking the tenth anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz junior development scheme in the Pavilion on the ewerk's forecourt. During the event, she announced that the established development scheme was changing its name from "International Designer Exchange Program" to "Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talents".

"Amesh Wijesekera's show has given us another chance to experience the great potential and creativity of up-and-coming designers from around the world in a live setting. We initiated the International Designer Exchange Program ten years ago to help these young fashion designers make inroads into the international markets," says Bettina Haussmann. "Back then, we became aware that appearing on an international platform is an important career step and at the same time a tough challenge, even for designers who are successful in their home countries. This is where we started, using the network that has grown over the years thanks to our involvement in fashion to secure promising talents a place on the show calendars and thus open doors for them. They get the opportunity to present their collections to an international public outside of their home markets. Our support for designers has continued to grow and become more diverse ever since. Now, rather than being purely an exchange scheme, it also includes other initiatives. We therefore decided to give our baby a new name in its tenth-anniversary year: Mercedes-Benz Fashion Talents."

Representing more than 90 designers we have supported since 2009, the exhibition at MBFW includes selected creations by Julia Seemann, Steven Tai and Wataru Tominaga. Julia Seemann from Switzerland was a guest in Berlin two years ago, showing her autumn/winter 2017 collection at the Berlin Fashion Show ("BERLINER MODE SALON") at Mercedes-Benz's invitation. Steven Tai from China was the first designer to present his collection as part of the cooperation with the International Festival for Fashion, Photography and Fashion Accessories in Hyères. He won the Chloé Prize there in April 2012 and appeared at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin a few weeks later. Wataru Tominaga from Japan came to Berlin in July 2016 as the winner of the Grand Prix du Jury Première Vision at the Hyères festival.

A creation from the German label Opaak by Agathe D. Muffert is also on display. The designer represents the newly established German Fashion Designers Federation e.V., which Mercedes-Benz has supported as a founder member since December 2018.

24 years of Mercedes-Benz fashion activities

Over 24 years Mercedes-Benz has established itself worldwide as a major player in the fashion industry and title sponsor of selected fashion weeks and events. The brand is currently active at 80 fashion events in over 40 countries, including the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks in Sydney, Mexico City, Madrid, Tbilisi and Berlin as well as the renowned International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Fashion Accessories in Hyères. In addition to this, Mercedes-Benz has been a member of the Fashion Council Germany (FCG) since 2017 and a member of the German Fashion Designers Federation e.V. (GFDF) since 2018.