Mercedes-AMG F1 collab with fashion house Balenciaga to create alien face shield

At the Balenciaga Fall/Winter 2022 Couture show in Paris, a unique bit of headwear made the collection and it has a bigger connection to the automotive world than you’d think.

Models opening the Balenciaga Couture show wore Balenciaga Couture face shields engineered by Mercedes-AMG F1 Applied Science. Created by the engineering-focused business division of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd which is dedicated to leveraging aerospace and motorsport technologies, these face masks are made of ink-tinted, coated polyurethane that is moulded and polished by hand.

Not only are they sleek and shiny like the F1 cars which they were inspired by, but have technologies to match. The F1 engineering team combined aerodynamic, anti-fog technology, and optimised breathable comfort, tested over several months. The mask is engineered to optimise flow, improve performance metrics, and ensure a stabilised CO2 intake while considering the effect of temperature for fogging.

Kim Kardashian, who was modelling some of Balenciaga’s unique creations attended the post-couture dinner in one of the Alien-esque masks.

Available exclusively at the new Balenciaga Couture Store located in the historic 10 Avenue George V building in Paris, the shields are engraved with Balenciaga and Mercedes-AMG F1 logos and can be further personalised with your initials upon request. The Mask is said to cost $5600 USD ($8295 AUD).

This is said to be the very beginning of an ongoing partnership between the Mercedes-AMG F1 team and the Spanish fashion brand which will see more futuristic couture clothing hitting runways and Celebrity events in the future.

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