Lewis Hamilton’s jumped on what’s shaping up to be the most divisive style trend of 2020. Thankfully his watch is pretty universally cool.

The Formula One champion, who’s enjoying some downtime in Tuscany ahead of the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix, shared his latest sartorial experiment with his almost 20 million Instagram fans: a lairy matching shirt, shorts and bucket hat combination, sporting a colourful grid pattern. Hamilton rounded off the look with some frameless sunglasses, Dior B23 luxury high-top sneakers, and a fetching IWC timepiece.

Leaning against a bright red Vespa scooter (very Italian), Hamilton shared this shot showing off the ensemble in full.

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A post shared by Lewis Hamilton (@lewishamilton) on Sep 10, 2020 at 7:16am PDT

It seems Hamilton, like a lot of celebrities this year, has taken to doing the ‘matchy-matchy’ thing: Kevin Hart, Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott Disick, LeBron James… It’s not for everyone but he makes it work. We’re more interested in the watch than his ‘table cloth’-esque outfit, truth be told.

The Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar perched on his wrist is a limited edition signature version of the already complicated and expensive watch. This Lewis Hamilton edition Big Pilot has a distinct Bordeaux red pallet and was limited to only 100 pieces (well, 99 really, seeing as Lewis demonstrably kept one for himself). Normal Big Pilot Perpetual Calendars fetch for around 45,000 AUD on watch aftermarkets like Chrono24, but a rare edition like this one – that has such a desirable colour scheme and celebrity association – would likely fetch for much, much more. Indeed, there aren’t any for sale on Chrono24 right now.

RELATED: IWC & Lewis Hamilton Just Dropped An Ultra Exclusive Big Pilot That Will Have You Seeing Red

Hamilton showed off different angles of his outfit on his Instagram story, where he also shared a closeup of the watch, as well as a new pair of driving gloves from Mercedes-Benz and Virgil Abloh’s ‘Project Geländewagen’ collaboration.

The Tuscan Grand Prix, the 9th round of the 2020 Formula One World Championship, is set to run from the 11th to the 13th of September, and will see the fastest racers in the world make their way around Mugello – the first time an F1 race has been held on the circuit. Hamilton sits comfortably on top of the ladder, 47 points in front of #2 in the standings, Mercedes-AMG teammate Valterri Bottas.

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• Lewis Hamilton Debuts ‘One Of A Kind’ IWC Watch To Support Black Lives Matter
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The post Lewis Hamilton Rescues ‘Table Cloth’ Twin Set With Bloody Rare IWC Schaffhausen Watch appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

These days, we all like to think ourselves low key ‘foodies.’ But the reality is, when you’ve been thrown across the world in a tin can and been dumped, bleary eyed, in some bustling city, finding the perfect spot to have dinner is harder than scoring a date in a Mesopotamian monastery.

Enter: Australia’s only national restaurant critic, John Lethlean, who recently took to Instagram with a picture that shows one – literally – glaring sign you’re outside a “crap restaurant.”

 

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You just know you’re close to a crap restaurant when?????? Share your thoughts. Images. Please. #stayaway

A post shared by John Lethlean (@johnlethlean) on Jul 14, 2020 at 4:11am PDT

While this unholy melange of ingredients is a clear signal to flee, there are a number of other, more subtle, giveaways you’re outside a stinker.

These can be useful both for when you’re exploring your home country (as Mr. Lethlean was above), as well as when travel restrictions lift and we’re able to trot the globe once more.

DMARGE spoke to Head Chef / Co-Owner of Sydney Italian Restaurant Vanto, Filippo Perra, to get his take on the features that give away an inauthentic Italian restaurant.

“Regarding a ‘phoney’ restaurant – if any of the pasta dishes have cream in the sauce… run away! Authentic restaurants will honour the small traditions like no cheese on seafood dishes too. Often the ‘phoney’ restaurants have adopted westernised styled dishes which would not be eaten in Italy.”

As for finding a true Italian restaurant outside of Italy, Chef Perra said: “If you hear the customers speaking Italian to each other – you have found yourself a good Italian Restaurant. Generally, ex-pats crave those authentic flavours and customs from home and will seek out a genuine Italian restaurant or cafe for a good meal and great wine, or even just a quick espresso.”

“I believe it is so important to find somewhere with a feeling of home, wherever you are.”

RELATED: The True Meaning Behind Anthony Bourdain’s Most Famous Quote

Likewise, to find an authentic dinner spot when travelling, Mr. Perra advises you “seek out a busy local Trattoria [Italian restaurant] for the best cuisine, fair prices, and an authentic Italian experience.”

“I recommend researching the most famous dishes of the region you are in. The internet can help so much these days and there are always plenty of reviews to help you find the perfect local dish.”

Vanto Managing Partner / Co-Owner Santino Agrillo adds: “I believe the best way to find good restaurants is by asking around – ask the locals or friends who have travelled there themselves.”

“Sometimes you must go with your ‘gut feeling’! The most authentic food is never going to be in the tourist squares. Also, if you see a queue of locals outside a restaurant go inside (even if it is a shabby place)! Often, ‘good looking’ restaurants are not reflective of good food.”

Another ‘foodie’ insight, which DMARGE learned listening to a Flight of Fancy podcast earlier this year, is that a kitchenhand (or chef’s) Instagram story may now be a smarter place to look than your hotel’s community noticeboard.

 

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A post shared by Vanto Restaurant (@vantorestaurant) on Aug 31, 2020 at 4:53pm PDT

Former editor of Delicious Sharnee Rawson admitted on the podcast: “So many of my friends will want to go somewhere ‘cos they saw it on Dan Hong’s Instagram.”

Another tip Ms. Rawson gave was to, “go through the archives of great publishers.”

Read Next

• Important Eating Rules You Need To Know Before Visiting Spain
• Anthony Bourdain Rant Reveals The Problem With Modern Foodies
• Secrets To Finding A Cities’ Best Food, Revealed By Top Travel Writers 

The post Tourist Trap: Italian Chef Reveals The Subtle Signs You’ve Found One appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Ferrari is already a byword for luxury and excess. Lovingly called ‘The Prancing Horse’ by tifosi, Ferrari is one of the most famous car companies in the world and producer of some of history’s most insane sports cars, such as the Enzo, Testarossa and 288 GTO.

Ferrari’s latest model, the V8-powered, 456kW-packing Roma, is no spring chicken. The refined grand tourer is the perfect combination of luxury, style and performance, and is one of the most classically perfect Ferraris ever made. It’s almost gentlemanly. Refined. A car to take from the track to the theatre.

But the Ferrari LaFerrari is not gentlemanly at all. It is, quite frankly, a monster. You have to be insane (and seriously bloody loaded) to drive a LaFerrari. Which is exactly what one Sydneysider – it appears – has elected to do.

Eagle-eyed car fan @jakemartin3895 spotted one of these rare $4.5 million beasts being loaded onto a truck in Melbourne yesterday, apparently destined for a new life in the Harbour City.

 

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A post shared by Melbourne Car Spotters (@melbournecarspotters) on Sep 9, 2020 at 3:15am PDT

A limited production hypercar, LaFerrari means ‘The Ferrari’ in Italian (so it’s really ‘Ferrari The Ferrari’), evoking that it’s meant to be the ‘definitive’ Ferrari. Manufactured from 2013 to 2016, only 499 units were produced (with only another 210 convertible ‘Aperta’ models made from 2016 to 2018), and each cost more than 1 million Euros new (1.6 million AUD). They have since significantly appreciated in value, and are quite the rare find, particularly in Australia.

Powered by a 6.3L V12 in conjunction with a hybrid drivetrain and kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) similar to what Formula One cars utilise, the LaFerrari makes a ludicrous 708kW and goes from 0-100km/h in around 2.6 seconds – no mean feat. It’s perhaps the closest thing to an F1 car a civilian can drive, its carbon fibre construction and F1-style centre brake light driving that comparison home.

Though the sale of the vehicle is yet to be confirmed, it’s either a particularly wild purchase (or purchase in the making), considering that as a left-hand drive vehicle, it’s not legal to drive on normal Australian roads (unless you have dealer plates, for example). But if you’ve got $4.5 million to spend on a car, you’re probably not thinking about practicality.

Fingers crossed the lucky new owner doesn’t wrap it around a tree, like the driver of this uninsured $2.4 million Ferrari F40 did earlier this year.

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The post Alleged $4.5 Million Ferrari Sale Proves Pandemic Is No Match For Wealthy Australians appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Thumbscrews. Knee splitters. The Rack. Watching someone you ghosted’s Insta story. There are a lot of cruel ways to get what you want. But certain Sydney councils are (considering) taking torture to a whole new level. How? By discussing closing car parks and banning beachgoers from some of Sydney’s most popular stretches of sand, at the height of summer.

Now, a public whipping this is not. But denying Sydneysiders of the iconic experience of posing at Icebergs or being engulfed by seagulls at Manly is borderline criminal in some people’s eyes.

Ocean Closed

Everybody: Wait what?

— Gabriel T (@AmazingGab16) September 9, 2020

Though the news is still yet to be confirmed (DMARGE understands it’s more ‘back pocket weapon’ the government hasn’t ruled out than ‘definite plan’), some Australian Twitter users (beneath news.com.au’s Tweet, “As the world continues to battle the coronavirus pandemic, Aussies hoping for a summer by the sea may be in for a rude shock”) are already furious.

“If we can’t have a summer by the sea; then open revolt is fine.”

“Stand up Sydney it’s your beach use it when you please.”

The satire machine has already sprung into action, too.

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“It’s a shame to have to do this to our beautiful Eastern Suburbs, but the entitled residents of the enclave just refuse to be inconvenienced,” said council spokesperson Fleck Seefry-Day.

A post shared by The Betoota Advocate (@betootaadvocate) on Sep 7, 2020 at 10:39pm PDT

7NEWS.com.au reports, “With the weather already warming up in New South Wales, beachgoers have started to hit the sand and water.”

“But this summer, things will be a little different than what we’re used to, with COVID-19 restrictions set to limit how we enjoy our time in the sun.”

“Some Sydney councils have said they’re working on plans to monitor crowds over the summer, while others have said beaches may need to close if things get out of hand.”

RELATED: Psychologist Breaks Down The ‘Unique’ Mindset Of Living In Bondi

“Our beach and public open spaces plan is still being finalised, but is based on the current Public Health Orders and advice from Police and NSW Health,” Waverly Mayor Paula Masselos told 7NEWS.com.au.

“The plan involves working with key stakeholders and agencies, and draws on some of the measures and resourcing approaches we have used over the last five months.”

This comes after certain beaches (most notably, Manly and Bondi) were closed strategically, during certain high volume days, back in March, as social distancing guidelines were breached.

RELATED: Photographer Reveals How Seriously Bondi Locals Are Taking The World’s Woes

After feedback from the community, the beaches were reopened, but with a ‘swim and go’ policy in place.

Further ideas to keep beaches from overcrowding this coming summer include shorter parking limits (which was employed in places like the Northern Beaches in March), and closing car parks entirely.

In Sydney’s affluent eastern suburbs, people are selfishly flocking to the beach despite official closures. It cannot be up to the police to enforce common sense and selflessness. If you know someone acting dangerously, call them out on it, and you will save lives. @abc730 https://t.co/1t6xU0Ma8O

— Nick Everett (@neuronick_) March 22, 2020

“But if people don’t do the right thing, and the beach has become too crowded then we’ll have to look at how we manage those numbers because I don’t want a repeat of what happened back in March.”

At the time of writing, according to the ABC, the key points and rules are as follows:

• Local councils warn that public health orders still apply to manage COVID-19 restrictions at beaches
• People can gather in groups of up to 20 adhering to the four metre square rule
• Individuals face maximum penalties of $11,000, imprisonment or on-the-spot fines of $1,000 for breaches

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• Timeless Photo Reveals What Bondi Looked Like Last Time There Was A National Shutdown

The post Sydney Beach Closures: Councils Consider Tactics To Ensure Social Distancing appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Today, Thursday 10th September, is R U OK? Day in Australia: a national day of action designed to bring attention to mental health. Held annually on the second Thursday of September since 2009, it reminds us how even simple moves like having a candid conversation with someone about their headspace can make a huge difference.

In a similar vein, making small changes to your lifestyle can have enormous impacts on your mental health, a world-first Australian study reveals.

Health insurer AIA Australia partnered with data firm Quantium Health to release the world’s largest and in-depth research into the link between depression, demographics, health, lifestyle and circumstance – demonstrating which factors are both within and outside an individuals’ control when it comes to depression risk and highlighting potential large-scale implications for the health of our nation and the economy.

Significant factors in predicting an individual’s risk of depression include factors that you can’t change easily such as gender (depression rates in women are almost double that of men), age (older individuals are more likely to be depressed, but this is typically explained by non-age features e.g. stress), and illness (people who have previously been diagnosed with depression are re-diagnosed at rates 20 times higher than those who have never been diagnosed, and the rate of depression increases 1.5 times among those who have a very ill family member).

However, many factors can be easily addressed by just simple lifestyle changes.

For example, people who do more exercise, or who do it at a higher intensity have lower risks of depression – those who take 10,000+ steps a day have half the depression rate of those who take 2,000 or less, the study reveals. A healthy sleep pattern is also a big factor – people who sleep less than four hours a night have a 32% higher depression rate than those who sleep seven to eight hours. Your diet plays a role – people who consume three or more sugary drinks per day increase their risk of depression by 11%, and perhaps less surprisingly, so do your vices: current and ex-smokers have a 23% higher risk of depression than non-smokers and excessive drinking increases depression risk by 14%.

“The impact of the study for Australians and Australian employers is significant with the research suggesting that if Australians make healthier lifestyle choices and practice average health habits the national depression incidence rate could reduce from 6% to 4.7% – resulting in 300,000 fewer depression incidences per year, 4.7 million recovered working days and saving the Australian economy around $3 billion per year,” AIA Australia states.

 

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A post shared by Bondi Icebergs Club (@icebergsclub) on Sep 8, 2020 at 11:45pm PDT

In the same way that a single “are you ok?” conversation is unlikely to solve someone’s mental health concerns, simply dropping durries and starting to exercise a bit isn’t going to be a silver bullet. However, these stats AIA have unearthed are surely a comfort that even small steps can have tangible impacts – and in combination with other remedies, such as counselling, the support of friends and family, and so on – can go a long way to helping Australians with their mental health. A stronger economy and better working conditions are also likely to support continued good mental health as a bonus; it’s a cumulative effect.

Australians are waking up to the fact that mental health is critically important, now more than ever. 2020 has been a particularly challenging year for many reasons, and it’s undoubtedly had an impact on our collective mental health. It’s also given us the chance to critically analyse the state of our society, and has revealed things that ought to change post-pandemic.

Another study by digital learning provider Skillsoft has revealed that more than eight in ten Australian workers are against a return to ‘normal’ working life, with physical and mental wellbeing and work-life balance a greater priority than ever before. Skillsoft’s report examines employee expectations in a post-COVID workplace and has found that more than half of all workers surveyed rank work/life balance and health/safety (58% and 55% respectively) in their top three issues that they feel business leaders should be prioritising. Fewer than 19% are happy to return to how things were, with this figure even lower (7%) among workers aged 25-34. 55% would like more flexibility in their working hours, 49% want more time spent on their physical and mental well-being, and 48% want to continue working from home.

The rapid, unprecedented shift to working from home for many industries has demonstrated how traditional modes of business (9 to 5 in an office, long commutes, etc.) aren’t as relevant as they used to be. What it has shown is that employers, colleagues, friends and family now more than ever need to be paying more attention to each other’s mental health.

The big takeaway from both these studies is that 1). people want a change and 2). effecting change doesn’t have to be hard. Whether it’s taking the time to hear out someone’s issues, checking in on them, encouraging them to take up healthier habits – or being receptive to making changes yourself – the first steps to a better conception and treatment of mental health concerns in our society are perfectly achievable.

If there’s been any upside to The Bat Kiss, it’s shown that prioritising the really important things – namely physical, mental and emotional health – is what we need to do more of in our society. It’s why this year’s R U OK? Day is more pertinent than ever: not only do we just really need to lift each other up, and make sure we’re supporting each other, but that we don’t go back to normal after today or after this pandemic.

The small steps are just the start.

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The post Mental Health Australia: World-First Study Proves Power Of Simple Lifestyle Changes appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Concorde was one of the most iconic jets of the 20th century. It was also the first major cooperative venture of European countries to design and build an aircraft (not to mention one of the few times Britain and France have collaborated in harmony). Suffice to say, when it made its first flight, on March the 2nd, 1969, it made history.

According to Brittanica, “The Concorde had a maximum cruising speed of 2,179 km (1,354 miles) per hour, or Mach 2.04 (more than twice the speed of sound), allowing the aircraft to reduce the flight time between London and New York to about three hours.”

When you consider that in 2020, modern jets fly from London to New York trip in 7 hours – more than double the time the Concorde used to do it in – it might spark you wondering: will we hit such milestones again?

For the moment it’s a no: the development costs of the Concorde were so great that they could never be recovered from operations, and the aircraft was never financially profitable. That, plus one of the most high profile crashes in modern history, meant the Concorde ceased flying in 2003.

Why do we mention all this? A supersonic Air Force One prototype airplane that flies at five times the speed of sound could hit the skies as early as 2025, with the US Air Force busy handing out development contracts.

“California start-up Exosonic is working on a low-boom supersonic Mach 1.8 twinjet which caught the eye of the US Air Force’s Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate (PE),” CNN Travel reports.

“It was announced last week that Exosonic has been issued a contract to develop supersonic executive transport that could be used as Air Force One.”

“That’s on top of the news last month that Atlanta-based Hermeus Corporation, which is working on a hypersonic 20-seater that promised to deliver passengers from New York to London in 90 minutes, has received investment from the same directorate,” CNN Travel adds.

“Hermeus is partnering with the US Air Force and PE to develop its Mach 5 craft, pictured at the top of the article, in order to support the presidential and executive fleet.”

“The future for global rapid passenger travel is low-boom supersonic flight,” said Exosonic’s CEO, Norris Tie, in a statement.

“Low boom allows travelers to fly at supersonic speeds without generating disruptive booms for those on the ground.”

As for specific speeds, Exosonic’s craft promises to halve cruise times compared to existing aircraft.

A US Air Force One supersonic prototype could be rolled out by 2025, Military.com reports, while Exosonic co-founder and CEO Norris Tie told CNN Travel the company expects its supersonic plane to be flying by the mid-2030s.

Of course, this cutting edge technology is for military use, not civilian. But as history shows, exclusive new technologies, should they prove successful, have a way of trickling down to the masses.

Just think: even though Concordes were mainly used by wealthy passengers, should the jet have continued, it could now be the normal way of flying.

Likewise, normal jets, during the ‘golden era‘ of aviation in the 60s and 70s, were only for the world’s wealthy. Now they are (relatively) cheap as chips, with anyone with a spare grand able to traverse the globe.

The main problem Exosonic will face, if it wants to cater, in the future, to a market that goes beyond presidents and fighter pilots, will be commercial viability.

They would not be alone in their mission though if they were to turn that way: CNBC reported in 2019, “A return to traveling faster than the speed of sound is seen as viable for business class passenger within 4 years.”

CNBC reports Boom Supersonic, a 55-seater plane 30 percent more efficient and 30 times quieter than the Concorde and Aerion Supersonic, a 12-seater business jet that has the capability of flying direct from New York to Sao Paulo (to name just two) both have “first scheduled flights” for 2023 (it remains to be seen whether the pandemic will affect these dates).

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The post Exosonic: Ambitious Jet Design Could Be ‘The Next Concorde’ appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Venice is an eternally glamorous city and a great place to find fashion inspiration, whether that’s from the celebrities that regularly flock to its canals, stylish tourists or well-heeled locals. In 2020, when most of us have been starved of fashion inspiration – people aren’t going out, people aren’t buying clothes, there’s no events – the Venice Film Festival has been a sartorial breath of fresh air. Particularly where Alessandro Egger is concerned.

The 77th Annual Venice International Film Festival, a 10-day celebration of the best in international film, is in full swing. The turnout has been less diverse than previous years, as non-Europeans have struggled to make it out due to travel restrictions. But there’s still plenty of stylish international flavour: Australia’s Cate Blanchett, Mexico’s Alejandro Speitzer, King Felipe VI of Spain…

But our vote for the most stylish attendee has to be the Italian-Serbian model and actor Alessandro Egger, who’s stood out against a sea of surgical masks and pudgy directors in ill-fitting suits to provide a beacon of gentlemanly style for the fashion-starved of 2020.

The 29-year-old Italian-Serbian male model and actor, best known for his appearances at Dolce & Gabbana showings, turned heads on the red carpet ahead of the screening of Polish-German festival entry Never Gonna Snow Again. This is how you wear a tuxedo, fellas (although he has left the suit tag on his blazer – a big fashion faux pas.)

The very next day, Egger proved that he looks good out of a tux, too – stepping out in a unique double-breasted blazer with military-style cargo pockets, matching pants, aviator sunglasses, triple-white sneakers, and sans shirt. It’s the kind of outfit only a model could get away with wearing without looking like a total wanker, but you can’t deny that it’s f*cking cool.

The film festival runs until the 12th of September, but we doubt anyone else will be able to top Egger’s impeccable style.

Read Next

• Justin Bieber Demonstrates The Correct Way To Experiment With Prints & Patterns

The post Alessandro Egger: Actor May Be The Best Dressed Man In Europe Right Now appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

When you’ve stared down death at Jaws, Nazare and Puerto Escondido, you might think it a piece of piss hanging out in your friend’s pool. But while the risks of drowning and dismemberment when hurtling down an 80ft wave may be obvious, the risks of getting injured at a doldrum flat pool are a little more subtle.

Kai Lenny is nothing if not a man who relishes a challenge though, and he’s taken the age-old ‘skimming across your mates pool on an abandoned bodyboard’ trick to the next level.

In signature Cheshire style, the 2019 Waterman of the Year gives his friend’s Olympic length pool (where they normally do breath-hold training) a royal goodbye with a winch, a foil and a three fin Beater, all after a day of windsurfing Ho’okipa and wing foiling at Kuau Bay.

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A post shared by Kai Lenny (@kai_lenny) on Sep 7, 2020 at 3:10pm PDT

“It’s something much different to what we normally do out in the ocean,” Lenny said during the Youtube clip of the action (watch the full video here).

“We’re going to winch in our friend’s pool… something to do on a flat summer’s day.”

Lenny then foils and then winches like a man possessed.

Kai Lenny is a big wave surfer, stand-up paddle surfer and racer, surfer, tow-in surfer, windsurfer, kitesurfer and celebrity watersports enthusiast. Lenny lives in Maui and made history with the biggest air drop ever seen at Jaws in 2018.

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The post Kai Lenny Surfing: Hawaiian Surfer Does The Unthinkable In Friend’s Pool appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny that Virgil Abloh is one of the pre-eminent cultural tastemakers of the 21st century.

The American designer, entrepreneur, DJ, Louis Vuitton creative director, Off-White founder and Kanye West compatriot’s influence runs deep in modern popular culture. His signature deconstructed style and highly industrial aesthetic – one of the most recognisable design languages of the 21st century – has manifested in clothing, accessories, furniture, artwork, music and even bottled water. Abloh is prolific, with more collaborations under his belt than perhaps any other artist active today.

He’s a divisive figure, however. Legions of hypebeasts revere him like a god, his footwear collaborations with Nike and collections with LV enjoying unprecedented success. Others consider his minimalist design language – and his self-imposed rule of ‘only altering something by 3%’ – as derivative, overrated, unimaginative, or simple plagiarism.

Abloh’s latest work has seen him team up with Mercedes-Benz chief design officer Gorden Wagener on a unique edition of the G63 (otherwise known as the ‘G-Wagen’) they’ve dubbed ‘Project Geländewagen’: a conceptual design project that’s an exercise in “studying what luxury may look like in 100 years” according to the pair.

The two have transformed the SUV into a sort of postmodern race car, with an incongruous, boxy body kit; NASCAR-style tyres, window netting and roll cage; a stripped-back interior and a partially-sanded paint job. It somewhat evokes fellow American artist Tom Sachs’ works. But that would be doing Sachs a disservice because we – like many others on the Internet – find this ‘art car’ absurdly ugly.

But what we think is irrelevant.

Ted Gushue – photographer, well-respected automotive journalist and founder of Type7 – relates that Project Geländewagen (gelände = off-road in German, hence ‘G-Wagen’) isn’t meant for car fans or ‘grown-ups’. In fact, it’s a savvy move by Mercedes to appeal to a younger generation of consumers.

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A post shared by Ted Gushue (@tedgushue) on Sep 8, 2020 at 12:13pm PDT

“The Virgil Abloh x Mercedes-Benz collaboration is not for me, and not for many of you,” Gushue says.

“But what it is for is to act as a ‘Trojan horse’ to get an entire generation of kids who live in cities who never ever ever think about cars or car design interested and engaged.”

“The car industry has a big problem on its immediate horizon in the next 20 years as we increasingly move to a carless society. Kids who are right now staring at a red brick that says Supreme on it need to start channelling their energy into car design and car culture. If they don’t, we’re f*cked.”

In this way, Project Geländewagen is a stroke of genius.

Abloh’s influence across so many aspects of popular culture is hard to overstate. His co-sign virtually guarantees success… Or at least eyeballs. Hell, we’re writing about it, so Mercedes’ strategy is clearly working. People who haven’t been interested in cars before will start paying attention now thanks to Virgil’s ‘Midas touch’. Conversely, there’ll be another subset of people who don’t care about art / design / haute couture that’ll be Googling Abloh’s name thanks to this collaboration.

As the first African-American to head up a French luxury brand’s creative direction, who in only a few short years has climbed to the very top of the modern art world, Abloh’s journey and creativity are inspiring. Consumers of all backgrounds who’ve never seen themselves as existing in even the same universe as, say, German luxury cars now have a rolling monument to what their future could hold.

RELATED: Rare 1960s Mercedes Benz Is Australia’s Most Expensive Second Hand Car Right Now

Car or art purists may scoff at Project Geländewagen, but there’s no doubt that its legacy will be keenly felt in years to come.

Abloh isn’t the only trendsetter who’s collaborated on a luxury vehicle like this. NYC-based artist Daniel Arsham, who has collaborations with Adidas, Christian Dior and Nintendo also under his belt, collaborated with Porsche on the ‘Porsche 3019‘: a fully-drivable 992 coupé with stone body panels featuring Arsham’s signature ‘eroded’ crystal artwork. That said, Abloh’s cultural cache far extends Arsham’s…

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The post Virgil Abloh Mercedes: Decoding Hidden Genius Behind Ghastly Collaboration appeared first on DMARGE Australia.