NIGO brings his deep connection to cultural memory and personal style to the forefront with the Moncler x Mercedes-Benz by NIGO collection and the limited-edition G-Class Past II Future vehicle. After its initial debut in Shanghai in 2024, the project now arrives in New York City, a place that helped shape the collection’s vision. With this release, the designer doesn’t just reference history; he channels it into something entirely new.
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The Moncler Genius platform provided the perfect outlet for NIGO’s collaborative instincts. Known for his work across design, music, and fashion, the Japanese creator thrives on pulling from archives to create forward-thinking projects. “I always refer to the past,” NIGO explains. “In Japan, there is a saying that goes, learn from the past to create something new.” That mindset drives the direction of both the apparel collection and the car, where every detail points to references from the 1980s, 1990s, and New York’s hip hop culture.
NIGO interpreted Moncler through his own lens while staying true to its DNA. He folded in elements from Mercedes-Benz, particularly the G-Class, using it both as design motif and literal canvas. The collaboration draws on shared codes from both brands and presents them with NIGO’s unmistakable edge. Embroidered G-Class shapes and outdoor-inspired Moncler prints take on new life in city-ready pieces. A varsity jacket, checked shirts, and washed denim create a sense of vintage Americana, while a Moncler puffer now features Mercedes-Benz’s three-pointed star. Base layers carry a heritage Moncler font, grounding the pieces in reference while still pushing the look forward.
The campaign, shot by photographer Thibaut Grevet, captures a group of models styled in the collection on a New York rooftop. The energy feels raw and relaxed, evoking the familiar pulse of the city. In the imagery, a rooftop water tower sits behind a casually gathered crew leaning against the G-Class. A documentary film complements the visuals, offering a look into NIGO’s process and how he built a collection that looks to the past for purpose while leaning into the present.
To mark the arrival of the project in New York, Moncler, Mercedes-Benz, and NIGO hosted a launch event at the new Mercedes-Benz of Manhattan flagship. The evening brought together artists, creatives, and close friends of the brands, including Alton Mason, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Kaws, Joey Badass, and Peyton List. Guests stepped into a blacked-out photocall elevator, transformed into a time portal, before entering a gallery filled with vintage cars. From there, the experience moved into a futuristic showroom turned dining space, where design and food collided in unexpected ways.
The team behind Nami Nori served a custom menu with automotive-inspired elements. Trunks of luxury cars opened to reveal cocktail stations. Pastry chef Eunjin Lee crafted desserts that arrived in chrome toolboxes, while wait staff dressed in mechanic uniforms completed the transformation of the space. Metal surfaces, checked interiors, and golden vases shaped like jerrycans echoed the car’s aesthetic. Each table setting built on the visual story of the G-Class Past II Future vehicle and the apparel line that accompanied it.
NIGO didn’t just look backward for inspiration, he filtered what he found through a modern lens, drawing connections between past influences and current cultural rhythms. The result stands as an original take on legacy, filtered through personal references and cultural memory. Now available at select Moncler locations and online, the Moncler x Mercedes-Benz by NIGO collection plants one foot in history while keeping pace with what comes next.
Discover full campaign in our gallery:
Discover full collection in our gallery:
