by It’s a high Thursday night on London’s Bond Street, and Mayfair is filled with hysterical hordes of Gen-Zers spilling with excitement, camera phones aloft, outside Dior’s flagship store. It is on the arrival of Sir Lewis Hamilton that it is about to happen; the F1 champion is launching his own collaboration with the storied house in Paris and as he arrives, the screams grow louder.
Perhaps more than any other sportsman today, Hamilton is a true rock star far beyond the race track. Approaching his 40th birthday, his fashion status has been cemented by two big announcements this week – that he will co-chair next year’s Met Gala with Anna Wintour and Pharrell Williams, and the launch of his first collection for Dior. , designed in collaboration with menswear art director Kim Jones. Arriving at the latter’s launch event wearing a bold black ensemble complete with a jacket with rugged yellow motifs, Hamilton says he’s more comfortable than ever in this high-fashion environment, and also more secure in his appearance.
“I said ‘yes’ right away,” he admits of the moment Jones approached about working together. “I’ve always been a big fan of Kim’s work.” British designer Jones is perhaps the most prolific fashion designer in the UK today – he runs Dior Men and until recently the Italian house Fendi. There was more to creating the collection than just applying his name to something, Hamilton insists.
He clearly relished the role of co-designer – the resulting designs lie somewhere between a Courchevel ski savant and a California surfing man; tufted fleeces in fluorescent, painted splodges, sporty cagoules and puffa jackets. “It was practical, which wasn’t easy when you travel as much as I do,” he says. “I really immersed myself in this process, we would get together in person as much as possible and when I was on the road we would always have a group chat to share ideas, inspiration and feedback. Kim and his team offered their experience and talent to help shape my creativity.”
The offer of collaboration with one of the most important cosmetics houses in the world makes sense, given Hamilton’s evolution in the world of fashion and his visible enthusiasm for self-expression. The boy from Stevenage has, in recent years, been one of the most experimental figures in men’s fashion. As he ascends to the position of Formula One’s greatest ever force since starting his racing career in 2001, his style has also become more expansive and daring.
“When I first started in F1 I felt a lot of pressure to conform but, over the years, I started to feel more comfortable with how I conducted myself,” he admits. Early photos of Hamilton when he first started attracting attention show him in a well-mannered blazer and skinny jeans, looking like the average 20-year-old on a night out.
“In my early 20s I had the opportunity to go to a fashion show in Paris for the first time and I was overwhelmed by the whole experience and the amazing energy – it really inspired me to fully express myself through the medium of fashion. “
Express himself that it is, and then some; Some hifalutin highlights include riotous print and pattern, Brigade explosions of tartan, stardust sprinklings of jewellery, more brocade and embroidery than the court of Louis XIV, and catchy streetwear designs.
He has been a fixture on the Met Gala red carpet for the past five years, wearing some of his boldest ensembles, including a Kenneth Nicholson suit with a cascading tulle skirt train and, this year, a black Burberry embroidered coat and necklace swept. spiked thorn. He has also been enthusiastic about giving a platform to young and talented designers, wearing pieces by emerging talents such as Theophilio, Jason Rembert and Ahluwalia at high-profile public events.
That he has chosen to toy with stylistic convention in the ultra-machismo world of motor racing is remarkable, and inspiring to a younger generation. The standard leather racing jacket is not for him.
He didn’t always have such confidence, however, he explains. Growing up in Hertfordshire, and a competitive junior racer since 1998, aged 13, his desire was to fit in rather than stand out.
“When I was younger I was inspired by hip-hop culture and expressing myself through those looks,” he says. “But at the same time I wanted to make it in racing and that kind of style wasn’t really accepted in that world.”
“I thought it was important to fit in so I tried to,” he continues. “As I got older and started to succeed in Formula 1, I went on this journey, worrying less about getting approval from others and finding out what really works for me.”
Hamilton loves felts and wore a blue-checked Burberry one at the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix. It may be a sartorial form of atonement for a misstep he made years ago in 2017, when he mocked his young nephew for wearing a dress on social media, saying “boys don’t wear princess dresses!” in a video he quickly took down and apologized for. Hamilton went on to appear in a skirt on the cover of the Irish League GQ declaring “I want to make amends.” Today, he seems as happy in lace princess confections as he is in precise improvisation.
His chameleon approach is definitely what caught on American Vogue editor’s eye Anna Wintour – Hamilton said it was an “honour” to be chosen to chair one of the world’s most watched red carpet parades. The theme he will be leading is a relevant one: Superfine: Adapting Black Style, a look at the influence of black dandyism in fashion.
“I love fashion but I’ve found that authenticity is the most important thing,” Hamilton says of his ethos when dressing. “It’s not about following trends but really understanding the art these designers create. I think the key to creating a style is to work out what makes you feel good. If you’re confident in what you’re wearing you’ll always look great.”
Rather than affecting his sport, Hamilton says clothes actually help him get ready for a race. Creating the Lewis Hamilton image of going out in front of the crowds and streaking into pole, he is known to wear bright colors and bold jewelery to compete. “The look I wear on the track now is like my superpower,” he says. “They give me an opportunity to show up as myself and that’s such a powerful feeling.”
