Mercedes-Benz Gears Up For Fashion Week; Designers, Celebrities Unite in Philanthropic Project to Benefit Children

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    NEW YORK, Feb. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- In addition to the new Fall 2002
 Collections shown during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, title sponsor
 Mercedes-Benz will help launch a special program to benefit the Elizabeth
 Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF).  Mercedes-Benz will also debut its
 all-new 2003 SL coupe/roadster during the week long event, February 8 - 15,
 2002.
     (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020204/NYM115-a
             http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020204/NYM115-b )
     This season, Mercedes-Benz has asked fashion designers and celebrities to
 customize a toy Mercedes pedal car for children -- a pint size version of the
 legendary 300 SL roadster from the 1960s.  More than 55 designers and
 celebrities are participating in the program to benefit the EGPAF including
 Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Britney Spears and Rosie
 O'Donnell.  The pedal cars will be auctioned on eBay.com beginning February 8,
 the opening day of Fashion Week, and will run through February 17th.  Bidders
 can also go to http://www.MBUSA.com to place a bid on these special works of
 art.
     Each pedal car reflects the creative interpretation of the designer.
 Variations range from a look-alike toy lion with custom-dyed Italian shearling
 fur and suede seats designed by Luca Orlandi for Luca Luca to a "couture
 sports car" designed by Douglas Hannant, which dons mink seats, iridescent
 caviar beads and a crocodile-skin covered steering wheel and gear lever.
     MBUSA will be unveiling the custom-designed pedal cars on February 8,
 Opening Day of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Bryant Park, with New York City
 Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg conducting the ribbon-cutting ceremony to kick-off
 Fashion Week.
     "The commitment, creativity and enthusiasm from the fashion and
 entertainment industry to support this worthy cause has been tremendous," said
 Dave Schembri, vice president of marketing at MBUSA.  "We are hoping to
 support more collaborative efforts to help those in need through our
 partnership with 7th on Sixth and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week."
     Mercedes-Benz will also introduce the all-new 2003 SL coupe/roadster
 during the Fall 2002 Collections.  The new SL500 will mark the fifth
 generation of the highly successful series, which began in 1954 with the
 legendary "Gullwing" 300SL.  To showcase the world-famous design and style of
 this legendary model, MBUSA will be featuring vintage Mercedes-Benz SLs
 throughout the week.
     Mercedes-Benz's multi-year agreement with IMG's 7th on Sixth division, the
 show's producer and management company, began with the Fall 2001 Collections
 held in February 2001 in New York City.  Created in 1993, 7th on Sixth
 organized, centralized and modernized the American Collections, and continues
 to revolutionize the way New York Collections are presented and funded.
 
     Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC, located in Montvale, New Jersey, is responsible
 for the sales, marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz vehicles, parts and
 accessories in the United States.
 
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SOURCE  Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC