A Brief History of Fashion And Formula 1
Ingrained with a certain glamour, Formula 1 racing has found a foothold in the fashion industry.
Formula 1 has never been just about racing. For decades the history of the adrenaline-inducing sport has been intertwined with the world of fashion. And while it may not seem like these two worlds would collide, for decades these industries have worked in tandem. And at the heart of this symbiotic relationship are partnerships. A marriage of fashion and athletics, it's been the brands who've pushed the image of racers and the reputation of Formula 1 as a sport.
In the late '60s, Formula 1 became an international sensation. With the help of icons Sir Jackie Stewart and John Surtees, racers began to take on new pressures. Now, they not only had to perform athletically but also maintain a celebrity-like image to coincide with their rising status. Yet it took nearly twenty years for major fashion labels to catch wind of the movement.
One of the earlier names to enter Formula 1 was Benetton, a brand internationally recognized for its vibrant and bold colors. Throughout the '80s the brand sponsored team Tyrell and team Toleman, the latter who became the Constructors' Champion. Success on the track soon found its way onto the backs of consumers as the brand quickly built collections around the Formula 1 team, pieces highly sought-after in today's vintage market.
Although fashion brands continued to have a foothold with driver sponsorships, the industry lost much of its market share to tobacco companies unable to financially complete. Yet with the ban of tobacco marketing in the early '00s, the valuable sponsorship space for consumer brands reopened.
In recent years, Hugo Boss, Gieves & Hawkes, and Hackett have all lined up to put their money behind Formula 1 teams. While the logo alongside the car does little to promote the brand, these labels are designing collections specifically to style the drivers. Here, the real influence of sponsorship is found.
While historically fashion influenced Formula 1, in recent years, motorsport has had an undeniable counter-influence on fashion. Leather, logos, vibrant colors, and coordinating outfits ingrained in the sport have increasingly inspired the latest runway collections.
The first hint of fashion's F1 love affair was evident in Jeremy Scott's Moschino Spring/Summer 2016 Menswear collection which featured several bodysuits fit for the racers themselves. In 2018, after Tommy Hilfiger sponsored the Mercedes F1 team, the American designer then thematically designed his entire Spring/Summer 2018 collection around the sport. Dior's Fall/Winter 2022 and Chanel's Cruise 2023 collections both featured models in racing gloves, jackets, and motocross-inspired silhouettes.
Yet 60 years later, Formula 1 still remains as stylish as ever. Between Hollywood adaptions like Ford v Ferrari and the sport's fanbase of billionaires and celebrities alike, the fast-paced sport is as "in" as ever.
