During the last Paris Fashion Week, while Rihanna – she came to attend several shows – and her round belly focused all the attention, her companion, the rapper A$AP Rocky who accompanied her and was dressed in a leather aviator jacket and matching trousers, both of which came with debossed Mercedes-Benz signature branding, was almost invisible.
But it was enough that a 16-second preview video announcing his new collection with the car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz, posted a few days later on his Instagram account, with the caption “pha$e 1 mercedes-benz x AWGE” for all the light to shine again on the rapper born in Harlem.
The capsule collection marks the second collaboration between the AWGE collective led by the rapper (but also Playboi Carti, Smooky MarGielaa, A$AP Nast and A$AP Ferg), and Mercedes-Benz. It blends A$AP Rocky’s distinctive ’90s aesthetic with the iconic design of the star-spangled automaker.
“I’ve been working with Mercedes since 2016, so the launch of this partnership of collaborative product is a proud moment for me”, said Rocky. “To be able to incorporate my relationship with Mercedes and my partnership my with Pacsun to release select items from the first drop, echoes my original sentiments of creating premium products based off my love for nostalgia and heritage brands that are accessible at different price points”.
The Mercedes-Benz x AWGE collaboration is a natural extension of a relationship born out of mutual admiration for the song ‘’Grow-Up’’ performed by the artist in 2017. Innovation is once again at the heart of this collaboration, which draws inspiration from the worlds of cars, music, and streetwear, around a common desire: to advance culture.
“Mercedes-Benz has been exploring the cultural industries for decades through its forward-thinking spirit and authentic collaborations with its partners, which allows us to credibly address innovative targets”, said Bettina Fetzer, Vice President Communication & Marketing Mercedes-Benz AG. “Our collaboration with A$AP Rocky perfectly captures the 90s movement by tapping into the fashion and music culture of that decade. With this collection we are offering our customers a new and unique gateway into the Mercedes-Benz world”.
The capsule collection of unisex apparel and merchandise, includes: t-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, comfortable sweatpants, jackets, baseball caps, and bags. Each garment is fittingly emblazoned with AWGE and Mercedes-Benz insignias in brighter red, volt and blue hues.
The Mercedes-Benz x A$AP Rocky capsule is currently available exclusively via AWGE, and on PacSun.com.
