“What might combining haute couture with our products look like?” This question from Mercedes-Benz Chief Designer Gorden Wagener was the starting point for the development of the Concept Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture in 2019. A play on the French term for high fashion, the Haute Voiture is a tailor-made, limited-edition vehicle that heralds a new era of luxury and exclusivity for Mercedes-Benz.
Pushing the boundaries
Belinda Günther, Head of Colour & Trim at Mercedes-Benz, was in charge of the concept development – she worked with her team to design the vehicle’s interior and exterior surfaces, materials and shapes.
While the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class was a key starting point for the design, Belinda and her team were determined to push the boundaries. “We often sat in the vehicle and asked ourselves what needed to change. The experiment was unprecedented, both in variety and form,” she recalls.
Her experience with fashion meant she was perfectly equipped to spearhead this unique project. “The Haute Voiture is the project I have longed for all my life as I originally studied fashion design,” she says.
This much is clear from the Haute Voiture’s exterior design. Its two-tone finish sits somewhere between classic and trendy, with a dark nautical blue colour on the forged wheels and upper part of the vehicle, and a light, shimmering rosé enveloping the lower half and sides.
This unusual yet sensual colour combination sets the stage for the true showpiece on the automotive catwalk – the interior.
Sophisticated luxury
The interior unites two aspects of haute couture: exclusivity and high-class craftsmanship. “It is this sophistication that shows how much time went into the conception and realisation,” Belinda explains.
As in fashion, textiles play a formative role. Looking inside the vehicle reveals individually hand-applied decorative rivets and nappa leather printed with Mercedes-Benz stars. The seats, armrests, steering wheel, roof lining and lower part of the instrument panel are all upholstered in crystal white nappa leather – interspersed with nautical blue on the window frames and along the beltline.
Contrasting bouclé fabric made of blue, beige, rosé and gold yarns is another opulent addition. “It is the embodiment of quality and luxury. As with impressionism, you also have an incredibly beautiful overall impression here of colour and effects working together,” Belinda says.
Final interior flourishes include rose gold accents on the centre console and dashboard; sparkling, glittery clouds running thematically through the home screen and menu views of the MBUX infotainment system; and white faux fur lining the door pockets, inlay mats and scatter cushion.
When asked about the first internal unveiling of the vehicle, Belinda recounts: “I was speechless at first. And then came the tears of joy.”
Fashion meets auto
The colours and materials featured in the Concept Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture were also showcased in an accompanying collection of handbags, suits and dresses. All the garments were handmade from the original materials of the vehicle’s interior, from the nappa leather to the bouclé fabric. This underlines the Haute Voiture’s inherent connection with high fashion and further elevates the holistic luxury experience.
Concept Mercedes-Maybach Haute Voiture not available for purchase.
By Nicolo Fischer