Two Worlds Collide: Louis Vuitton Becomes an Official Partner of Formula 1
If you thought Formula 1 fashion was good before, today's news is proof that the pinnacle of motorsport's sartorial endeavors are only just getting started. Nearly four years after Louis Vuitton first entered the world of motorsport when it debuted a Trophy Trunk for the Monaco Grand Prix in 2021, the French fashion house formally announced a historic decade-long partnership with F1, becoming not only an official partner alongside TAG Heuer, Moët Hennessy, Paramount+, American Express, and more, but also the title sponsor of the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix, which will open the 2025 season in March.
The announcement arrived just a few short months after LVMH, the parent company of Louis Vuitton, announced its unprecedented 10-year global partnership with the sport on October 2, 2024. A press release sent out by Louis Vuitton on Thursday morning confirmed that the brand's involvement in F1 is part of that larger collaboration. "Through a parallel quest for innovation, both Louis Vuitton and Formula 1 constantly push the limits of their universes, and their common values will be showcased as a combined ambition to support triumphant human stories," the release stated. "Furthermore, this partnership represents the shared pursuit of excellence at a time when fashion, culture, entertainment, and sports are converging like never before."
As part of the partnership, Louis Vuitton Trophy Trunks will be presented across various races before lights out and again afterward on the podium. "The Louis Vuitton victory Trophy Trunk … stands as the ultimate symbol of triumph across some of the world's preeminent sports competitions such as FIFA World Cup, the Ballon d'Or, the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024, and the America's Cup," the release stated. It went on to explain that the brand will have a "constant presence" throughout the season, including prominent trackside signage, a first for the maison at a sporting event.
We know Louis Vuitton will bring their style and passion to the paddock and beyond.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1
Though aspects of the maison's branding will be new to the F1 world, its garments certainly aren't, with seven-time world champion and 2025 Met Gala co-chair Lewis Hamilton frequently wearing Louis Vuitton pieces in the paddock. Just last season, Hamilton, who will co-chair fashion's biggest night alongside Louis Vuitton men's Creative Director Pharrell Williams, wore a logo-covered denim set by the brand to the Miami Grand Prix. He also attended the S/S 24 menswear show during Paris Fashion Week in June of 2023, as did fellow F1 driver Pierre Gasly, who races for Alpine F1 team.
Lewis Hamilton at the S/S 24 Louis Vuitton menswear show
Pierre Gasly and his partner, Kika Cerqueira Gomes, at the S/S 24 Louis Vuitton menswear show
Fashion has become an integral part of F1's culture in recent years, with a number of other drivers following Hamilton's lead and experimenting with their personal style throughout race weekends. In addition to timepiece manufacturers that have long sponsored teams and drivers, fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Palm Angels, Adidas, Boss, Puma, and more have become increasingly involved in the sport. Fashion content creators, stylists, models, and exceptionally dressed WAGs such as Caroline Daur, Lily Muni He, Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, Alexandra Saint Mleux, Winnie Harlow, and Emily Ratajkowski have all been spotted with paddock passes around their necks—or better, tied to their handbags like on-trend charms. Ferrari, F1's oldest and winningest team, even has its own luxury fashion brand, which will show its F/W 25 collection in Milan next month. All that's to say that fashion and F1 have strong ties. Today's announcement, though, takes the relationship between the two worlds of sport and style to groundbreaking new heights.
Winnie Harlow in Louis Vuitton at the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix
"This is an incredible partnership bringing together two of the world's leading brands," says F1's president and CEO, Stefano Domenicali, in the press release. "We believe our collaboration brings our fans even more opportunities to combine their interests to enjoy the very best in life, and we know Louis Vuitton will bring their style and passion to the paddock and beyond."
Now, all that's left to do is wait to see it all—including the many forthcoming paddock 'fits—come to life. Countdown to the Formula 1 Louis Vuitton Australian Grand Prix: 44 days.
Eliza Huber is an NYC-based senior fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and the intersection of sports and fashion. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 from Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a business degree from the University of Iowa. She's launched two columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, Gracie Abrams, and Sabrina Carpenter; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top runway trends each season. Eliza lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, watching WNBA games, and scouring The RealReal for discounted Prada.
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