Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

- ‘RECOLLECTION QUARTETT’- an exhibition staged jointly by Mercedes-Benz and MoMu Fashion Museum, Antwerp
- Frederik Heyman, Mikio Sakabe, Bernhard Willhelm, Henrik Vibskov and Peter Pilotto put four Mercedes-Benz modern classics in the limelight
- Open daily, 19-23 January 2011, in the paint studio at the Deutsche Oper’s former stage services company – admission free

Stuttgart/Berlin, Germany, Jan 11, 2011 - During Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in Berlin, Mercedes-Benz and Antwerp’s MoMu Fashion Museum will be running an extraordinary exhibition called ‘RECOLLECTION QUARTETT’, which opens on 19 January 2011. Together with the Belgian artist and photographer Frederik Heyman, fashion designers Mikio Sakabe, Bernhard Willhelm, Henrik Vibskov and Peter Pilotto will be mounting an exhibition featuring four iconic Mercedes-Benz models from the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s in the paint studio of the Deutsche Oper opera house’s former stage services company in Berlin-Mitte. The installations are remarkable in the way that they evoke collective memories of the era and link them with the fashions and design of today.


Frederik Heyman has created a unique backdrop for each of the four legendary Mercedes-Benz young classics with scenic motifs and surreal elements that reflect the spirit of the age and the prestige of the vehicles. The four internationally acclaimed designers each bring a fashion creation of their own to the sets. Heyman and the designers deliberately play with stereotypes - particularly those associated with the typical owners of these cars, relocating memories of businessmen, tradesmen and diplomats, garden gnome owners, flares-clad hippies and the medallion-wearing playboys of the 70s into the 21st century with a knowing smile.

Modern Mercedes-Benz classics – as desirable as ever

Modern Mercedes-Benz classics are becoming increasingly popular for their originality and their social and cultural associations –particularly among young drivers. Not only are they style statements, they are also valuable investments.

In recent years, certain Mercedes-Benz classics and young classics, such as the 300d and 280SE convertibles, have outperformed the German DAX stock index. Modern classics are basically vehicles built between 1970 and the early 1990s that already have cult status, or have the potential to become iconic. Last year, Mercedes-Benz opened the first young classics store in the Mercedes-Benz museum Stuttgart to meet the rising demand for well maintained modern classic cars.

MoMu Fashion Museum, Antwerp – famous for its exceptional exhibitions

The ‘RECOLLECTION QUARTET’ exhibition in Berlin is the first to be staged jointly by Mercedes-Benz and Antwerp’s MoMu Fashion Museum. Since opening in 2002, MoMu has gained an enviable reputation for its extensive collection of fashion items stretching back over five hundred years, and the stunning solo exhibitions that it hosts by designers such as Yohji Yamamoto, Bernhard Willhelm, Maison Martin Margiela and Stephen Jones. The twice yearly temporary exhibitions are always striking for their amazing architectural setting and innovative presentation of the exhibits. With such a vast historical collection, MoMu is seen as society’s collective ‘wardrobe’ where centuries-old memories are preserved.

The ‘RECOLLECTION QUARTET’ exhibition clearly shows why Mercedes-Benz young classics retain their unique appeal today. It opens for an exclusive preview on 18 January 2011 and is then open to the public between 12 noon and 8.00 p.m. every day from 19-23 January 2011 (closes at 5.00 p.m. on Friday, 21 January). Admission is free. More details are available online at: www.recollection-quartett.com .

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