Off the racetrack, Lewis Hamilton emerges as a certified fashion luminary. Amidst championship wins and record-shattering feats, he seamlessly transitions into high fashion, heading Valentino ad campaigns, and commanding front-row seats at fashion shows. Hamilton continually redefines the sartorial expectations for F1 drivers worldwide with each sartorial statement. And that translates into his presence on the grid.
Single-handedly upping the fashion quotient of the sport, Hamilton has undeniably blazed a trail in bridging the gap between fashion and F1. While the race week pulses with speed and adrenaline, Hamilton walks in bright ensembles; a parade of designer labels like Bottega Veneta, Valentino, Dior, and Rick Owens adorning his frame.
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Hamilton knows what he’s serving each race weekend at what has now been christened “Lewis Hamilton Fashion Week.”
Vogue Australia sought Hamilton’s wisdom on cultivating personal style and navigating the labyrinth of fashion choices. Reflecting on his style evolution, Hamilton shared, “I’m sure many of you look at your old photos and think, ‘What the hell was that?’ But what I’ve discovered is it’s a real process, a real journey. It’s just trying and being daring…Embracing confidence.”
For Hamilton, style isn’t merely a matter of aesthetics- it intertwines with performance. For the 7 time champ, the confidence he has when he steps into the paddock is non-negotiable. “I grew up aspiring to be a Formula One driver; I wasn’t thinking about my fashion sense on the journey.”
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He adds, “If you’re wearing something that you feel confident in, you walk in with a lot of extra inches in your stride and you know that’s what you need when you walk into the paddock.”
In Hamilton’s world, the fusion of style and substance isn’t merely a trend or statement- it’s an ethos that underscores his journey both on and off the track.
Lewis Hamilton leaves a mark
With F1 attracting unprecedented attention fueled by the soaring popularity of Netflix’s Drive to Survive, Lewis Hamilton’s jaw-dropping transfer to Ferrari, and the internet’s fixation on paddock walks and WAGs- fashion brands are closely monitoring the starting grid of the 2024 season.
However, the year-long F1 calendar leaves little room for Fashion Week appearances, and spotting drivers in the fashion capitals remains a challenge. Yet, the paddock emerges as an ideal setting for the driver’s styles, offering a glimpse into their choices.
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While Hamilton has long been a trailblazer in the fashion realm with a dedicated social media account chronicling everything, a new wave of drivers like George Russell, Daniel Ricciardo, Guanyu Zhou, Yuki Tsunoda, and Charles Leclerc are now commanding attention with their burgeoning fashion statements.
Reflecting on the evolving landscape that he created, Hamilton remarked to Vogue, “It’s been a fun journey. And now, all of these other drivers are starting to express themselves in their own way.”
As F1 continues to evolve, Hamilton’s legacy transcends the confines of the racetrack, leaving an indelible mark on the sport’s cultural landscape and inspiring a new generation of drivers to embrace their individuality both on and off the track.
