From its debut at the International Motor Sports Show in New York in 1954 to its recent Best of Show prize at The New York City Concours (TNYCC) 2019, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 194) is now 65 years old: the legendary Super-Leicht, the super-light with which the German brand returned, for the first time since the Second World War, to the forefront of international motor racing. Sixty-five years lived and raced as a champion of style and performance, on the road and on the track.
Gullwing for the Americans, Papillon (butterfly) for the French: these names are enough to understand how much the bold and innovative design of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL has broken the mould, displaced the imagination, impressed the insiders as much as the pop culture with its doors spread to the sky that actually recall two wings designed specifically to make it "fly" on the track.
And it is precisely the iconic gull-wings of Gullwing that we decided to celebrate with the brand new ties and clutches 100% Made in Italy Best Of Show collection inspired by the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, which recall the characteristic features of the car - such as the unmistakable doors, the front and the wheels - in an elegant pattern in regimental style.
The unmistakable frontal view of the Super-Leicht is the protagonist of a Best of Show 300 SL Gullwing tie in fine silk of extreme class but with a clear driver heritage, in the colours blue and deep blue. The fantasy, made by The Outlierman designers and unique in the world, is made dynamic by the alternating movement of the "seagull wings", open and closed.
A connoisseur's citation, on the other hand, is the red details that evoke the interiors of the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, known for being completely upholstered and unusually glamorous and comfortable for racing cars. Finally, the slip stitch is dedicated to the close-up detail of the 300 SL, which fully reflects the pleasantness and accuracy of this car's portrait.
The Best of Show 300 SL Gullwing Two Quarter pochette is equally refined in design and fine Italian craftsmanship. It perfectly reflects the pattern of the tie on two quarters while the other two quarters invite you to a game of contrasts thanks to the light silk background on which stands out the beautiful motif inspired by the wheel trims of the 300 SL. The high quality of the craftsmanship is demonstrated, among other things, by the detail of the hand-wrapped and stitched beads, to which our seamstresses have dedicated extreme care using sewing threads of the same color as the individual beading.
The greatness of this timeless icon could be told endlessly. After all, could we expect less from the car that, in 1999, was elected by an international survey as the "sports car of the century"?
Photo: Sajin Park & Federico Bajetti, for The Outlierman © 2019
