Laura Dern Fronts Campaign for Mercedes-Benz x Proenza Schouler
The New York womenswear and accessories brand Proenza Schouler's latest campaign unveils a capsule collection with Mercedes-Benz, fronted by actor Laura Dern and her son Ellery Harper. Discovering sustainable wardrobe essentials through the lens of the open road, the brand called upon their collaborator Harley Weir to capture the gender-neutral capsule The Power of Two.r
First launched in 2002 by Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, Proenza Schouler have long used their campaigns to weave an empowering narrative about the modern women who wear their clothes, whether that be Binx Walton, Chloë Sevigny or Liv Tyler. Previously, Weir has created a series of films for the brand, supporting Planned Parenthood in America. Her over saturated, nostalgic visual language suits the feeling of the brand, whose womenswear never shouts too loud but has garnered a devoted audience for their elegant quirky tailoring and dresses.
Teaming up with Mercedes-Benz encouraged the designers to further explore the concept of sustainability in luxury. A frequent sponsor of global fashion weeks, having previously collaborated with designers such as Virgil Abloh, Mercedes-Benz is devoted to promoting creative talent and sustainable design both on and off the runway. As part of their partnership with Festival Hyères, this year they launched the Sustainability Prize which will endeavour to educate the next generation of talent in mindful practices.
Taking an all-electric EQS Mercedes-Benz car onto the open road alongside the Proenza Schouler capsule, the Harley Weir-lensed campaign celebrates the values of discovery and luxury travel staples. Starring Dern, who wore Proenza Schouler to the 2018 Met Gala, and her son, (both styled by Joe McKenna), the campaign proposes the importance of multi-generational collaboration. Exploring new sustainable methods, the brand's staple tie dye t-shirts are created using eco-friendly dye methods and eco-cotton. Dern's son stands on a car's bonnet by the sea, wearing an olive green eco trench coat which is later modelled by his mother. Turtleneck ribbed knits are made in recycled cashmere in black, mustard and grey. Graphic blankets double up as shawls, and recycled wool tote bags provide the all-essential travel bag. Set against a cold blue-grey sea and pebbled beach, with a backdrop of rolling fields, the autumnal campaign hammers home the concept of discovery.
'Mercedes-Benz has always been a brand we have deeply respected, and one that has been baked into the public and our imaginations for decades. It is a brand that is synonymous with sophisticated craftsmanship, and an aspirational, culturally relevant luxury that has always appealed to us. Recently, the brand’s commitment to electric-only and emission-free mobility through the introduction of the EQ models is something that has particularly drawn us in as we enter this first part of the decade. We wanted to create a collection inspired by travel and the open road, and used this as an opportunity to try new, environmentally responsible production methods. The experience opened our eyes to how much can be done while designing through a sustainable lens', McCollough and Hernandez say.