FUSING FASHION, ART, AND CARS – MERCEDES-BENZ’S CREATIVE INITIATIVE
Mercedes-Benz Class of Creators is a bold new cultural initiative that invites five artists, designers, and brands to reimagine the all-new CLA as a canvas for personal expression. The first reveal came from rapper Ice Spice, who transformed the CLA into a molten chrome sculpture draped in oversized diamond-chain jewellery, shimmering pink highlights, and her name emblazoned in chrome across the bodywork. The project is not simply a marketing campaign: it is a statement about where luxury automotive design is heading, towards art, fashion, and cultural dialogue.
Ice Spice and the Molten Chrome CLA
The Ice Spice x Mercedes-Benz CLA was unveiled in April 2025 as the first chapter of the Class of Creators series. Every surface of the car is covered in molten silver-painted bodywork, with dripping textures that appear to freeze mid-flow. A giant chain pattern stretches from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, replicating Ice Spice's signature Princess necklace at a scale that wraps the entire car. Diamond-shaped patterns frame the wheel arches and edges, and Ice Spice's logo appears on each show wheel. The project also generated a limited fashion capsule collection of black and pastel pieces released alongside the car reveal.
The Creators Lineup
Mercedes-Benz selected five creators for the Class of Creators initiative, each representing a different cultural and creative discipline. Following Ice Spice, Swedish interior designer Gustaf Westman unveiled his CLA on May 22, 2025, and fashion designer Colm Dillane, known as KidSuper, debuted his version at Paris Fashion Week on June 28, 2025. Toy car brand Hot Wheels and gaming platform League of Legends are also included in the roster. Each creator received complete creative freedom to reinterpret the CLA according to their own visual identity, with Mercedes-Benz providing the engineering and manufacturing capacity to realise each concept.
Why This Initiative Matters for Automotive Design
The Class of Creators reflects a broader shift in how premium car brands position themselves culturally. By handing creative control to artists and cultural figures whose audiences have no inherent connection to the automotive world, Mercedes-Benz is actively expanding its reach into fashion, music, gaming, and design communities. The CLA serves as a shared platform: familiar enough to anchor the project in automotive tradition, modern enough in its electric architecture and design language to feel like a credible canvas for future-facing creativity. Coverage from the launch is available at designboom and at WWD.
Explore Automotive Art at TheArsenale
TheArsenale sits at the same intersection of automotive culture, design, and art. Browse the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe and the Framed Sculpture Mercedes W11 in the store, and explore the full TheArsenale Gallery collection for automotive art, sculptures, and collectibles that bring car culture into the home. The TheArsenale Cars collection offers the full range of exceptional vehicles available for purchase.
Photo: MERCEDES-BENZ
