MSCHF x AMG: Not for Automotive Use — A Retrospective Look at the Bold NYCxDesign 2025 Showcase

In May 2025, Brooklyn-based art collective MSCHF partnered with Mercedes-AMG to present one of the most talked-about installations of NYCxDesign. Titled “Not for Automotive Use,” the exhibition took place at MSCHF’s Brooklyn studio from May 14 to 17, marking the first time the group opened its doors to the public. The result was a bold reimagining of performance car components into conceptual design objects that questioned the very meaning of function, material, and luxury.

Radical Design, Reengineered

The heart of the exhibition was a sculptural furniture collection built entirely from genuine AMG parts, each piece channeling the spirit of Italy’s 1960s Radical Design movement. In a nod to designers like Achille Castiglioni, MSCHF turned industrial performance elements into provocatively playful household forms.

Highlights included:

• Chairs constructed from AMG seatbelt mechanisms and headrests

• Floor lamps using clipped-in seatbelts as power switches

• A working fan housed inside an AMG alloy wheel

• A barbecue grill made from a radiator grille

• A three-headrest bench mounted on a roll cage-style frame

• Trash bins repurposed from pedal assemblies and suspension mounts

Each object blurred the boundary between function and sculpture, performance and absurdity.

Wearables and Scented Irony

Beyond furniture, the exhibition featured a limited-edition apparel line printed with AMG engine scans, workshop textures, and ironic branding. The standout accessory was a custom fragrance shaped like an apple tree, referencing Affalterbach, AMG’s German hometown whose name literally means "apple tree brook."

The apparel echoed MSCHF's signature satire and limited-drop culture, with all items available exclusively at the exhibition for a short time.

Design Meets Disruption

“Not for Automotive Use” was more than a collaboration. It was a cultural detour. MSCHF and Mercedes-AMG redefined what luxury performance materials could be when stripped of speed and repurposed for stillness, utility, and critique.

The studio installation was dimly lit, industrial, and minimal—amplifying the raw materials and mischievous craftsmanship on display. It created a contemplative space where visitors questioned what design is supposed to do, and whether it even needs to do anything at all.

A New Consumer Model

While the show has now concluded, select pieces from the collection remain available on a made-to-order basis, maintaining the exclusivity and anti-mass-production ethos. The exhibit redefined how high-performance branding can be applied to the domestic and conceptual space, bridging engineering precision with cultural provocation.

Why This Exhibition Matters

What It Did	Why It Mattered
Turned AMG performance parts into furniture	Blurred lines between speed and stillness, luxury and absurdity
Channeled 1960s Radical Design	Reinvigorated postmodern mischief in contemporary design discourse
Mixed satire with serious craftsmanship	Challenged how we perceive function, value, and intention in design
Limited and made-to-order pieces	Embraced scarcity and personalization in the age of mass production

Final Thought

MSCHF x AMG’s Not for Automotive Use was not just an art-meets-brand exercise. It was a design statement rooted in rebellion. By pulling AMG out of the fast lane and into the gallery space, the project challenged what it means to be engineered, what it means to be useful, and what it means to design for culture rather than commerce.

Even though the exhibition has ended, its ideas continue to ripple through the design world. At Niwwrd, we see this as a defining moment for experimental automotive design—and a perfect example of how function and form can both serve and subvert.