America’s New York-based fashion label Proenza Schouler unveils its largely-sustainable, gender-neutral capsule collab with Mercedes Benz. American actor Laura Dern fronts the new campaign with son, musician and model Ellery Harper.

Harley Weir [IG] photographs the Proenza Schouler x Mercedes Benz 2021 campaign with creative direction by Charles Levai and Kevin Tekinel. Joe McKenna styles the shoot./ Hair by Cyndia Harvey

Proenza Schouler co-founders and designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez created a luxurious vision of the iconic American road trip. The journey has a unique twist of being positioned ias a narrative between two people with a special relationship. “In many ways it's a celebration of one of the most important relationships in our own personal lives; the one with our mothers," the designers told the press.

Sustainable Credentials in Proenza Schouler v. Mercedex Benz Collaboration

AOC knew 95-5 that the collection has strong sustainability credentials related to the Mercedes Benz involvement. Had it not, we would have yelled at holy hell volume, but that’s not necessary.

With the name and financial backing of Mercedes Benz — and perhaps sharing the luxury car company’s own knowledge about sustainability practices — designers McCollough and Hernandez ventured into new sustainability territory.

The designers used deadstock fabrics from the Proenza Schouler archive — a sustainability practice fundamental to the design practices at both Stella McCartney and Gabriela Hearst, with both her own label and now at Chloe, where she heads up design.

The cashmere is recycled, re-spun out of old sweaters. Also exciting is using leather employing natural tanning methods. "We had never done that before," the designers said of their pivot to eco-conscious tanning, "so we learned a lot through that process."

"We are always learning, and seeking innovative ways to be more thoughtful with our design methods," they said. "We've been doing research over the last year, but some practices are entirely new for us and we are always striving to keep sustainability at the forefront."

Natural tanning leathers do not represent some new sustainable practice or discovery This is not an innovation on the scale of Volvo’s plan to break totally free of the cattle industry.

When you think of natural tanning, think of America’s original indigenous peoples. They wore leathers long before corporate-produced chemicals jumped in to make leather that is quicker to produce, cheaper and — also more deadly for our planet and its people, its animals and probably plants, too.

The modern process of dying or tanning leather uses a toxic mixture of acids and chemicals to pickle and stain the animal skin. Once the leather has been colored, the chemical solution is disposed of — often going on to contaminate rivers, soil and food.

Laura Dern Activist

Academy Award-Winner Best Supporting Actress, Producer, and Activist Laura Dern prides herself on always being an environmentalist, working with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Oceana. Dern also works with legal teams representing migrant children at the border and Everytown for Gun Safety.

Ellery Harper, son of Dern and musician Ben Harper, is now 20 years old and had his first fashion cover, one of eight covers celebrating ODDA Magazine’s Spring 2021 issue.