Slowly but steadily, F1 has made a place in the American motorsport fans’ hearts. If viewership numbers are an indicator, America is turning out to be quite the market for the pinnacle of motorsport. Cashing in on the opportunity, fashion brand Chanel played a calculated gamble last year. That move included the launch of F1-themed shirts which can burn a hole worth $5,000 in your pocket.
The collection features two T-shirts with the same design. While one is the embroidered version for $4.450, the beaded one can cost as much as $6,000. The tees came into the public eye when a number of influencers wore them during the 2023 Monaco GP. Once the fans searched for them in the stores, they left with their jaws dropped after learning about the price tag.
Regardless, the tees remain in high demand as only a select few stores have them available. Many fans took to social media enquiring about the availability. Looking at the response from fans, Highsnobiety believes cheaper knock-off alternatives will soon flood the market.
One X user couldn’t control their excitement but had a hilarious take on the design.
Another fan couldn’t wait to grab one for themselves.
One user who managed to find the collection in a store asked their fellow X users which one they should pick.
Celebs jumping on F1’s American popularity bandwagon
F1 has upscaled its marketing in the US ever since Liberty Media took over the Formula One Management (FOM). Gauging an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience, the F1 owners added 2 more American fixtures to the calendar over time. The Miami GP joined the United States GP (COTA) in 2022. The Las Vegas GP, on the other hand, is the latest fixture to join the calendar in 2023.
One of the biggest reasons behind the F1 frenzy in America is Netflix. The streaming giant launched a yearly docuseries, Formula 1: Drive to Survive, in 2019, featuring the biggest names from the sport narrating their journey through the season. The docuseries has completed 5 seasons with the sixth iteration ready to release on February 23, 2024.
F1’s growing popularity has now started to reap monetary results. Earlier last year, Ryan Reynolds made headlines by signing an investment deal with French F1 team Alpine. The $218 million deal includes Reynolds’ Wrexham A.F.C. co-owner Rob McElhenney and actor Michael B. Jordan.
Therefore, Chanel jumping on the bandwagon is not surprising. Expect to see a lot more fashion brands join hands with F1 as America continues to shower love on the motor racing circus.
