Collaborations like A$AP Rocky & Awge x Mercedes-Benz are allowing consumers to exude luxury without the Mercedes price tag.
A$AP Rocky and the musician’s creative agency Awge have announced their latest collaboration, a ’90s-Esque capsule collection with Mercedes-Benz. The line, set to be released in May 2022, will consist of apparel and accessories, pairing A$AP’s streetwear-inspired style with the recognizable Mercedes logo. With hoodie sweat-suit sets, jackets, hats, and bags, this loungewear collection lands in the relatively affordable range of $60 to $175.
With new brand partnerships coming out practically every week, companies are evidently relying on these marketing strategies to expand their consumer reach. As stated to WWD by Bettina Fetzer, vice president of communications and marketing at Mercedes-Benz AG, “Mercedes-Benz has been exploring culture-led industries for decades, driven by our forward-thinking spirit and spearheaded by authentic co-operations with partners, allowing us to speak credibly to progressive target groups.” A$AP Rocky has engaged in myriad collaborations over the years, including a recent partnership with Pacsun—where the Mercedes-Benz x A$AP collaboration will be on sale— as their first Guest Artistic Director.
Unsurprisingly, this capsule collection is not the first time a luxury car brand has ventured into fashion. Streetwear brand Supreme joined forces with Lamborghini in 2020 to create the perfect ‘Hypebeast’ closet made up of jackets, jerseys, hats, and skateboards, all of which carried Lamborghini’s bull logo as well as the brand’s bright colors of neon green, orange, and black. This was followed by McLaren Racing’s 2021 capsule collection with luxury streetwear brand RHUDE. With a price point ranging from $54 to $3,500, the collection is by no means cheap, however, is less expensive than purchasing an actual McLaren, for which prices start at $200,000. McLaren Racing states on the RHUDE website, “McLaren Racing’s collaboration with RHUDE is an exciting step as we continue to engage a global fanbase. RHUDE has a finger on the pulse of culture & lifestyle in America, and we’re delighted to collaborate with Rhuigi as he draws inspiration from our iconic brand history and reimagines trackside style for this set of collections.”
The rise of social media as a marketing tool has led brands to clout chase. High-end brand collaborations enable both brands to tap into one anothers’ audiences’ while creating a sense of exclusivity and ‘hype.’ Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the demand for luxury is as high as ever, with the Mercedes-Benz x A$AP release selling out within hours. Customers racing to purchase clothing that promotes a car brand many of them likely do not own suggests that people will pay merely to be associate themselves with a luxury lifestyle.
Images courtesy of Mercedes Benz
