The new Mercedes CLA spotted in Hyères

Mercedes took advantage of the Hyères Festival, which showcases emerging fashion talents, to unveil its new CLA.

Before its launch in 2025, the Mercedes CLA made a notable debut in a customized and camouflaged “Erlkönig” look aimed at highlighting the intersection of fashion and automotive design.

The festival marked the 4th edition of the Mercedes-Benz Sustainability Mentorship, an initiative created by the star brand to encourage the next generation of fashion talents. The ten finalist collections of the competition are integrated into the campaign of the 39th Hyères Festival featuring the new CLA. The storyline of the campaign is quite simple yet effective: A paparazzo tries to catch the new CLA Erlkönig and two models dressed in the finalists’ creations as they travel through the south of France. The suspense isn’t overwhelming, but the style is truly achieved. The photographic techniques used during the shoot help to create a new aesthetic, giving the campaign a cinematic touch worthy of classic films shot on the Côte d’Azur. The presentation of the CLA Erlkönig at the Hyères Festival marks the kickoff of the pre-communication phase for the model before its launch in 2025.

With this new campaign, the brand playfully merges the worlds of fashion and automotive design in a creative interpretation. The term Erlkönig was introduced by a leading German automotive magazine for the Mercedes-Benz 180 in 1950. In 2024, the CLA is tasked with the heavy burden of living up to this stylish heritage!

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