Stars show style secrets for Mercedes-Benz

While most people can’t afford to wear the same clothes as the celebrities they idolise, that doesn’t mean they can benefit from their style secrets and in a series of Style Pit Stop web films being released to coincide with London Fashion Week (13-17 September), Mercedes-Benz and AMV BBDO have recruited some of the UK’s best dressers to give us their pearls of wisdom.

We caught up with Passion RAW director John Turner to find out about the shoot for the first two films, featuring rapper Tinie Tempah giving broadcaster Reggie Yates a tour of his favourite sartorial spots.

What did you want to achieve from these films?

I wanted to create a film that allowed us the opportunity to listen in on a conversation between two people - a conversation we wouldn't normally have the opportunity to be privy to - then show that in a relevant, stylish and youth-inspired way. A film where style and substance work perfectly together.

What were Tinie and Reggie like to work with?

Super professional, super talented and super stylish.

As a director, how did it feel to leave them alone in the car to just get on with it? Did they have to rehearse at all?

I really enjoyed the opportunity as a director to create something that embraced a sense of randomness where we captured an authentic, realistic conversation. This shooting style dictated that rehearsals were a definite no no.

How difficult is it to get the right balance of product shots into branded entertainment like this?

In order to get that balance I made sure the car became another character within the film. Always visible but in a subtle, natural way.

What’s your worst-ever fashion mistake?

I recently went to a fancy dress party dressed as Danny from The Shining. I spent £97 on a realistic looking Apollo 11 jumper he wore in the film, and only one person guessed who the hell I was.

What can we expect to see next from you?

I'm just about to fly out to Durango in the States to shoot a documentary on vintage denim hunters; following them through ghost towns, remote outposts and down an abandoned gold mine that dates back to 1870. I'm a massive denim head myself so this is a dream job, I’ve just got to try and not blow the budget on a pair of rare vintage Levi's I might find along the way.

Watch the films as they are released on the Mercedes-Benz YouTube channel, and join in the conversation on Twitter with #StylePitStop.