Mercedes-Benz Showcases designo Customisation at Berlin Fashion Week
At the 2009 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin, the marque spotlighted its designo personalisation programme, offering visitors a close look at bespoke finishes and luxury materials.
Mercedes-Benz used the 2009 Fashion Week in Berlin to highlight its designo personalisation programme, bringing the brand’s bespoke paint and interior options to the attention of an audience more familiar with couture than coachbuilding. The event featured the CLS 350 CGI Grand Edition in designo magno platin matt paint, alongside displays of exclusive leathers and trims crafted for the designo range.
Bespoke finishes for the CLS 350 CGI Grand Edition
The centrepiece was the CLS 350 CGI Grand Edition, finished in a designo magno platin matt paint. Mercedes-Benz selected this model and finish for its key visual campaign, with top model Julia Stegner participating in a photoshoot and experimenting with virtual colour configurations. The car’s presence at the show was intended to demonstrate the depth of personalisation available through designo, which extends to virtually every model in the Mercedes-Benz line-up.
Attendees could examine a display seat upholstered in white aniline leather with nubuk accents, a combination created specifically for the Berlin event. Tennis player Boris Becker was among those who tried the seat, highlighting the comfort and range of options. The seat and materials display gave guests a tactile sense of the craftsmanship and variety on offer.
Inside the designo programme: choices and materials
Mercedes-Benz positions designo as its answer to customer demand for highly individual vehicles. The programme covers a wide spectrum of paints, including matt, metallic and special-effect finishes. Interior options span hand-crafted leathers in multiple grades and colours, with choices ranging from nappa to aniline and natural leathers, available in both matt and lustrous finishes. In addition, designo offers trims in wood and even natural stone, such as granite.
- Exclusive exterior paints, including matt and metallic finishes
- Handmade leathers in various grades and colours
- Trim options in wood and natural stone (e.g. granite)
- Custom combinations for most Mercedes-Benz model ranges
The Berlin Fashion Week event allowed Mercedes-Benz to present these materials to a new audience, with samples available for visitors to touch and compare. The brand’s approach is to tailor each designo package to the character of the model, ensuring that the options suit everything from the S-Class to the CLS.
Fashion and automotive customisation converge
By linking its presence at Fashion Week to designo, Mercedes-Benz aimed to reinforce its image as a luxury brand attuned to individual taste. The crossover with the fashion world was underscored by the involvement of Julia Stegner and the interactive elements, such as digital paint configuration. While the event focused on the 2009 autumn/winter season, designo remains a core part of the Mercedes-Benz personalisation strategy, with ongoing updates to its palette and material choices.
