From Tommy Hilfiger to Lvmh, fashion races in Formula 1

At Monza, fashion, motors, and money run fast. The 95th Italian Grand Prix, where Ferrari claimed victory on home soil with Charles Leclerc leading the two McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, once again felt the warmth and affection of the «red tide» and a parade of vip fans. Notable attendees included former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson, photographed in the Ferrari box with the monegasque driver, actor Jeremy Renner, Alessandro Del Piero, and Nba champion with the Boston Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis, spotted in the Mercedes area after last year’s event hosted Damiano David of Måneskin and Khaby Lame, further confirming the ever-growing popularity of Formula 1. Next year, Formula 1 will also hit the big screen with the Apple TV-produced film F1, directed by Joseph Kosinski (of Top Gun: Maverick fame), starring Brad Pitt and Prada brand ambassador Damson Idris. The Oscar-winning actor plays former driver Sonny Hayes, who returns to racing by joining the fictional Apxgp team, led by a character played by Javier Bardem, to mentor young prodigy Joshua Pearce.

To bring authenticity to the film, the studios enlisted the help of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is in his final year of a 57-million-euro contract with Mercedes and set to switch to Ferrari. The British star was recently named the face of Dior, marking the latest chapter in his fashion journey, which includes a long and successful collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger, with whom he designed several Tommy x Lewis capsule collections, appearances alongside actress Zendaya in Valentino's Pink PP campaign under the creative direction of Pierpaolo Piccioli, and a partnership with the Police brand.

Police, for its part, has launched the new limited-edition Police x George Russell, the first created by the other Mercedes driver, George Russell, who, as a designer, personalized the Origins sunglasses. The model, available in two color variants with grey-green lenses and glossy black with blue gradient lenses, is available in 63 pieces and is decorated with the numbers 6 and 3, which make up the British driver's race number, and his name on the temple.

For its home race, Ferrari, increasingly focusing on ready-to-wear under creative director Rocco Iannone, a former designer at Dolce&Gabbana and Armani, will showcase its collection on Saturday, September 21 at 9:30 AM during Milan Fashion Week. Ferrari also released the exclusive Monza carbon fiber collection created with Puma, which transforms the iconic red of the prancing horse into the black that characterizes the carbon fibers, essential components in road vehicles and Formula 1 cars from the Maranello team.

In fact, the SF-24, driven this season by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, is made of 61% carbon fiber, making the car extremely lightweight and performant, essential elements in a sport where speed is everything. Additionally, for the Monza race, Ferrari, along with Leclerc, an ambassador for Apm Monaco jewelry, celebrated its heritage with the launch of a limited edition Maranello clutch. The clutch, which will be produced in a limited and numbered edition, will feature the distinctive colors of Leclerc's Daytona SP3 and will include a single piece signed with the pilot's autograph. The leather goods brand Piquadro, meanwhile, celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Blue Square line with the Visa Cash App RB team, Red Bull Racing, and its two drivers, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda, of which the brand is the official luggage partner.

«We love the world of Formula 1. It's very fascinating for us. We share that extraordinary passion for performance and speed, » Marco Palmieri, ceo of the Piquadro group, told MFF.

For the Italian Grand Prix, Tommy Hilfiger also put on sale at its flagship store in Piazza Oberdan, Milan, a limited-edition collection created in collaboration with Mercedes and New York designer Clarence Ruth.

The drop, consisting of ten motor racing-inspired pieces, includes items like a color-block varsity jacket, embroidered chino pants, and football jerseys featuring the drivers' numbers, Hamilton's 44 and Russell's 63, on which the U.S. designer is now heavily betting. But many luxury brands today are in pole position to capitalize on Formula 1's golden age. The championship, born in 1950, is increasingly followed by Gen Z, with projects and sponsorships that, according to market sources, can range from 1 to 100 million dollars, depending on whether they involve single races or circuit partnerships, although the fashion houses do not comment on the figures.

Lvmh is reportedly considering entering motorsport as the official timekeeper of the competition, replacing Rolex through its brand Tag Heuer, already a sponsor of Red Bull Racing, worn by both drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, with a deal rumored to be worth 139 million euros. During a conference call with analysts following the July financial results of Bernard Arnault’s French conglomerate, cfo Jean-Jacques Guiony confirmed that «Tag Heuer is in talks to replace Rolex as the official timekeeper of Formula 1 from next season, but nothing is decided at this stage».

The excitement of the Temple of Speed generated a revenue of more than 178 million euros for the areas involved in the Grand Prix, including Monza, Milan, Lecco, and Como, according to a report by Confcommercio Milan, Lodi, Monza, and Brianza. «The tourism impact of the Italian Grand Prix will benefit not only Brianza but also neighboring provinces, starting with the Milan metropolitan area, which can accommodate the flow of tourists and offer entertainment and leisure services», Confcommercio explains. «51% of the tourist expenditure, amounting to 91.6 million euros, will remain in the province of Monza and Brianza; 30%, or 54.5 million, will go to the metropolitan city of Milan; 11%, or 19.4 million euros, will go to the province of Como; and the remaining 7% will be distributed between Lecco and other Lombardy provinces».

The value is distributed evenly between accommodation, which accounts for about 33% of the total expenditure and 59 million euros, and shopping, which accounts for 30% of the total and amounts to 53.6 million euros. The third largest expenditure item is dining, which represents 16%, amounting to 28.6 million euros, followed by entrance tickets, which account for 15% of tourist spending, equal to 26.8 million euros, and finally transportation and parking, which make up 6% of total spending at 10.7 million euros. (All rights reserved)