Modern icons: supermodel Natasha Poly and the Mercedes-Benz SL.
Shiny futurist shapes, intense colours: For its Autumn/Winter 2016 fashion campaign, Mercedes-Benz joined forces with top fashion stars to put the new SL’s distinctive design where it belongs: in the spotlight.
While Russian supermodel Natasha Poly sets the scene with body-hugging latex by designer Atsuko Kudo, star photographer Jeff Bark highlights the car’s sinuous lines and sensuous curves by also wrapping it in latex.
Like no other model, the SL embodies the myth of Mercedes-Benz. From the legendary 300 SL and Pagoda right down to the model’s latest incarnation, the SL effortlessly fills the role of a modern icon.
Across the decades, the timeless classic constantly redefines itself through innovative design – and now polarises as the star of the Autumn/Winter 2016 fashion campaign’s key visual, wowing the crowds without ever pandering to the mainstream.
Jeff Bark’s artistic vision made him the perfect partner for the project. Around the world, the American is feted for a precise, pop-edged, hyper-realistic technique that imbues photography with a painted aesthetic. To stage the Mercedes-Benz SL in style, he opted for a surprising approach.
“For me, my photography is only about light and colour, so in this case I wanted to light the car to emphasize its form and three-dimensional qualities, but having the latex as a second skin so you could see the lines of the car in a new way.”
