Puffed Up G-Wagon: Mercedes Joins With Moncler To Create Rolling Inflated Fashion Statement

I’ve seen some art cars in my day, but so far, nothing has come close to a collaboration between Mercedes-Benz and fashion-forward puffy garment makler Moncler. The bizarre but also amusing creation is called PROJECT MONDO G (their caps) and combines two things only tangentially related: Fashionable puffy jackets, and a top-dog overlanding vehicle.

Unveiled at Moncler’s “The Art of Genius” event in London, the fantastical creation combines the rugged overlanding persona of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class “Gelandewagen” – better known as the “G-Wagon” – with the puffy fashion of Moncler’s wide range of air-insulated garments, many of which run four figures.

The result? A highly peculiar blend of Benz and soft-touch fashion that was appropriately unleashed in a planetary exploration theme complete with puffed-up models floating about on wires above the Benz, which looked to have just touched down on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa or the outskirts of a town just pasted by Winter Storm Olive.

The collaboration, called PROJECT MONDO G (their caps), features massive wheels wrapped in reflective puffy tires and a rear greenhouse likewise insulated but also split down the middle with a giant Moncler-branded zipper.

“We are very excited about collaborating with Moncler to create another ‘X-factor brand moment,’” Britta Seeger, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz, said in a press release. “At Mercedes-Benz, we are committed to engage in culture and society. Our co-creation with Moncler offers an unexpected experience of both brands. This debut collaboration with Moncler opens new horizons and a potential of opportunities for more news to come soon.” So stay tuned.

Moncler didn’t invent the puffy jacket, an intrepid mountaineer from Australia came up with over 100 years ago.

The MONDO G G-Wagon brings to mind some other interesting (and just slightly more practical) exploration vehicles, including the Sherp ATV, a balloon-tire creation out of pre-invasion Russia. While not nearly as fast, powerful or luxurious as a (not MONDO) G-Class Mercedes, the Sherp is able to tackle most any terrain – and also floats. Sherp says the U.S. military has units in service.