Pole Position: Front Row Fashion

Twenty drivers and twenty different styles, along with absorbent amounts of money. What if I told you the fashion industry and Formula 1 have a lot in common? From the steps of the Met Gala all the way to the circuit of Monaco and Bahrain, the two industries collide.

The line between the two is blurring, creating a symbiotic connection that highlights both industries that highly influence each other.

Formula 1 has long been recognized as one of the most luxurious and expensive sports in the world. From this, drivers and teams are embracing the fashion industry and the niche that lies between them.

Over the years, drivers have been limited to speed and passion for the sport. Now, drivers are choosing to step out into the paddock to express themselves through the fashion industry.

Two sisters from Canada, Natasha and Vanessa Lee, have started a brand, Milkshake, that brings “the sweet take on motorsports.”

“There are over 200 million female F1 fans today—yep, you read that right. And yet, there are exactly zero F1 media companies speaking directly to women. Milkshake brings a fresh, feminine perspective to motorsport coverage. We're diving into the lifestyle, fashion, and personal stories that make F1 special,” says their website.

The duo now breaks down the niche that is fashion and Formula 1.

“Vanessa and I grew up watching F1 with our dad. Before we got ‘Drive to Survive’ and all of this and you didn't understand the intersection. There was no fashion and Formula 1 back then. It was just F1 Michael Schumacher winning, driving, and everything in between. Fast forward to where we are now, I feel those two worlds are so much more interconnected,” stated Natasha.

For the sisters, the intersection wasn’t as clear as it has been shown today. It was just the driver, car, team, and technicality of the sport. Now, there is a culture surrounded by the fashion, driving, and lifestyle that is Formula 1.

This has created an immense influence on both industries.

“Motorsport culture is all about adrenaline, and it has a fast-paced energy. That kind of adrenaline style, edginess, energy into fashion,” said Natasha.

There have always been stars of Formula 1 in a fashion sense, from Aryton Senna’s classic & minimalistic style to Michael Schumacher’s edge.

“Michael Schumacher, in the early 2000’s had that really Matrix vibe and choker necklaces. It’s that German, I'm gonna go clubbing at Bergheim, edgy look,” Natasha stated.

Formula 1 is constantly changing. It's not just about who crosses the finish line first or the most points in the constructors’ championship, but who can upscale the rest of the paddock in terms of design, style, marketing, and sponsorship.

Teams have now started branding themselves in the fashion world. This has mainly been the case in sponsorship. Notable mentions include Tommy Hilfiger sponsoring Mercedes AMG Racing Team and Hugo Boss sponsoring Aston Martin Racing, as well as Puma with Scuderia Ferrari.

The genius partnership of Puma collaborating with Scuderia Ferrari started in 2005 and has flourished ever since.

“I feel Puma is reinventing itself because it used to be very just this is the team where you can buy merchandise at a track. But now they're coming up with cool drops and limited collection pieces. So I think that one's changing,” said Natasha.

“Yeah, Puma originally was this racewear shop where you can just buy all the branded stuff, and it was almost a kind of racing gear. But now it's more aesthetic streetwear,” Vanessa followed”.

Puma has been a staple of Ferrari, but not as much as Ferrari fashion has been. Ferrari has not just been known for their iconic red cars but for their fashion collections as well.

“Ferrari also has their own brand, such as Ferrari Style, that the designer used to work for Dolce and Gabbana,” said Natasha.

Ferrari Fashion has had a big impact on the fashion industry, considering it was spearheaded by Rocco Iannone, a high-up for Dolce and Gabbana.

Tommy Hilfiger and Mercedes AMG have been the highlight of brand collaborations, showing the flow between high fashion and racing. Lewis Hamilton, a long-time driver of the team, has been known for his fantastic style and showcased this within the Tommy Hilfiger collaboration.

“I feel Lewis elevated Tommy Hilfiger. They collaborated on a more baggy streetwear style. You know, even his team knit had the drop shoulder sleeve, and you couldn't find that anywhere else. I think that collaboration went really well. It is the Lewis Effect,” Vanessa stated.

Lewis Hamilton has certainly been the fashion superstar of the paddock over the years, which has even led him to the steps of the infamous Met Gala.

Over 7 years, Hamilton has become a staple of a night surrounding luxury and fashion. This year, he will take on the position of hosting the Met Gala alongside co-chairs A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Coleman Domingo.

Within the names of Formula 1 and fashion, Lewis Hamilton has consistently proven himself to be the main character. From being a 7x World Champion to the cover of Vogue, he is a force in his own right.

All drivers have their own merch separate from their respective teams. Lewis Hamilton with Plus 44, a clothing brand that donates a percentage of proceeds to Mission 44, a foundation that strives for inclusiveness in the education system, supporting young kids to accomplish their dreams. Plus 44 focuses on specific collections with meaning, such as social justice, culture, and sustainability.

“Lewis has done some really cool work by working with a bunch of streetwear designers, and I think he's done mainly Japanese artists. He has worked with Murakami and then more recently Sorayama, both who are Japanese artists,” said Natasha.

Hamilton has a constant commitment to storytelling through his brand and what he feels creates a direct message.

Another successful brand collaboration has been through Lando Norris’ Quadrant.

“Lando’s brand used to be this gaming esports athlete sponsorship type brand. And they just rebranded to be a clothing company, and their aesthetic is being inspired by racing and Motorsport culture,” said Natasha.

Quadrant has been going through a major rebrand from shifting its gears from athleticism to racewear and lifestyle.

“Since 2020, Quadrant™ has evolved into a dynamic motorsport community - spanning apparel, athletes, content, and partnerships - all driven by our passion for the sport. Motorsport isn’t for the faint of heart. It demands skill, tenacity, vision, and bravery - along with an unrelenting passion for the pursuit. Quadrant challenges the status quo, making its mark on everything we touch. Our brand embodies the raw energy of motorsport, translating its sights and sounds into a bold identity,” said Quadrant via About.

The idea behind Quadrant is to focus on Lando Norris’ personal fashion sense, giving fans a taste of his lifestyle. Norris has been seen showing up to the paddock wearing his latest drops of the street style aesthetic that Quadrant has.

Continuing to focus on driver’s merch and branding, Daniel Ricciardo has been a staple in this area. Daniel Ricciardo has been one of the most notable names in Formula 1, giving the fans good energy and fantastic merch through his brand Enchante.

Enchante by Daniel Ricciardo is a perfect blend of his playful and fun personality, mixed with his love of fashion. The brand is focused on collections that are released through seasons, such as its Winter Chalet, Summer Break, and Race Ready collections.

Each collection gives the fans Daniel’s perspective on fashion.

“What Daniel has done, which is different from Lando and Lewis. He actually has the most pieces that are more female. The color palette is lighter, you know, and you could play tennis. Versus, I think more Quadrant, Lando's, and Lewis’ brands have been more masculine vibe,” Natasha stated.

Daniel Ricciardo gives Enchante a very gender neutral aesthetic, appealing to all genders in a mixture of styles and colors.

Since Daniel left the sport, his companies have been blossoming.

“What Daniel did, such as him, really leaned into his personal brand. He built Enchante, and he also has a winery. He is using the amazing PR and all the time, you know, all the press he's getting in F1 to then build out his brands,” said Vanessa.

Drivers are now starting to understand their place and future outside of the racing world in how to take advantage of their time in Formula 1’s spotlight.

2025 has been the year of drivers’ personal brand ambassadorships and collaborations. Speaking on the topic of drivers’ personal collaborations, Lewis Hamilton is known to have quite a collaboration with Lululemon.

In February, Lululemon was excited to announce the collaboration with Lewis Hamilton.

“Lululemon is pleased to welcome seven-time Formula 1™ World Champion Lewis Hamilton as the brand’s newest Ambassador. Lululemon will power Lewis’ elite training, recovery, and lifestyle needs with best-in-class product, while collaborating on future design innovation and global advocacy work,” said Lululemon.

This partnership has included Lewis’s intense training with Lululemon's high-quality material, making the perfect alliance.

While Lewis has been contributing to Lululemon, Carlos Sainz became a L’Oreal Paris brand ambassador.

“Cruising through the streets of Paris, our Smoothest Ambassador is here! Welcome to the #LOrealParisFamily Carlos Sainz!” said L’Oreal’s Instagram.

The Spanish driver has been known to have fabulous hair, so this partnership for him was promoting their new hair care line.

The drivers aren’t the only people to be focusing on; don’t forget about their girlfriends, such as Charles Leclerc’s girlfriend, Alexandra Saint Mluex.

Alexandra is an influencer who has focused on art history. She is seen hand in hand with Charles Leclerc about every race weekend. It is not just about her boyfriend being a Scuderia Ferrari driver, but the clothes she brings into the paddock.

“Alex, Charles's girlfriend, I talked about in multiple videos I made. At the Shanghai Grand Prix she wore this designer called Sau Lee who is a Hong Kong based designer. Her whole aesthetic is to modernize, such as the Cheongsam, which is a Chinese traditional piece of dress. Everyday Alex wore three back-to-back outfits, with Asian inspired elements,” said Natasha.

Natasha highlighted how Alexandra Saint Mluex has embraced culturally located fashion designers. It seems Alex has noticed her platform and uses it in the hope of giving more attention to these talented designers.

Now the question arises of how Formula 1 and the fashion industry will continue moving forward in a creative fusion between the two.

With the new generation of drivers from Formula 2 coming into the spotlight of F1 there are wonders if fashion will continue to move as fast as Formula 1.

“There's a lot of fans nowadays who like F1 for more than just racing. They're interested in the style and the fashion and everything else around it. I think it's a whole other market that they can now tap into” said Natasha.

That group of people who are also interested in the lifestyle surrounding Formula 1 will keep the culture of fashion intertwined.

The soon to be future of Formula 1 is now being held in the hands of F1 Academy, an all women's race league. This separate league has many similar sponsors in comparison to F1 but the one that sets them aside is Charlotte Tilbury.

“I really love what Charlotte Tilbury is doing with them. F1 Academy female drivers you know, doing an interview series by Charlotte Tilbury that they're getting their looks done and then they're getting interviewed. I think that feels really natural” said Natasha.

Charlotte Tilbury is a great example of what is moving the two industries forward embracing female empowerment.

No matter where you see yourself on the scale that is Fashion and Formula 1, there is no doubt that the two industries can live harmoniously. With these two industries in collaboration with one another, who knows what amount of opportunities will arise from this.