We’re not certain how many of our readers follow the world of fashion, but those of you who do would’ve been hit by some depressing news earlier this week: Virgil Abloh, the founder of the Off-White brand, passed away on November 28 after a battle with cancer. He was 41.
It’s sad, yes. But this isn’t exactly information that you’d expect to belong in the pages of a motoring website. That is, until you realize the final work of Abloh’s you see here isn’t a one-off sneaker or a groundbreaking piece of streetwear. It’s a concept car.
This is the Mercedes-Benz Project Maybach. It’s a collaboration between Abloh, who created the vehicle with German car designer Gorden Wagener, and the luxury car brand that has been released posthumously.
Mercedes-Benz says both Abloh and Wagener were given “complete creative freedom” and were “untethered by production requirements” for this project. The result is a one-of-a-kind electric ride that’s part luxury car and part off-roader.
At almost 6,000mm in length, the Project Maybach is a massive thing. It’s flat from almost any angle, too, which endows it with a very utilitarian vibe. Bumper- and roof-mounted lights and large off-road wheels also add a dose of ruggedness to the aesthetic. The interior, meanwhile, gets two seats, a ton of space, and flat surfaces and a color scheme to match the exterior.
“Mercedes-Benz is devastated to hear of the passing of Virgil Abloh. Our sincere thoughts are with Virgil’s family and teams,” the carmaker said in a statement.
“Now opening the world of our collaboration, and Virgil’s unique vision, to the public we want to respectfully celebrate the work of a truly unique design talent, who created endless possibilities for collaboration through his unbridled imagination and inspired all that knew his work.”
Us? We dig it. It’s a fresh take on the modern luxury off-roader. Will it make it to production? Highly unlikely—but it does serve as a nice automotive sendoff for one of the most prominent names in fashion. Rest in peace, sir.
