Lewis Hamilton wears a silky Dior matching set

WE’VE COME TO EXPECT styling brilliance from the unshakeable Lewis Hamilton. The man is the world’s most fashionable athlete and he’s clearly not keen on relinquishing that title. Case in point: the motorsport rockstar stepped out in double denim – a brave look colloquially known as the Canadian Tuxedo – on the weekend, showing he’s not afraid of an on-theme fit. The look was head-to-toe Tommy Hilfiger, save for his Timberland boots, which were, well, Timberland.

Once again, Hamilton demonstrates the impact he has on the sporting world, which now frequently operates in tandem with the fashion and watch world.

A decade ago, Formula 1 and fashion went together like oil and water – that is to say, they didn’t. High-profile brands and labels have always longed to be associated with the sport through lucrative sponsorship deals, as racing exudes a particular stylish mystique, but in saying that, the drivers themselves were somewhat averse to modish dressing. Despite their celebrity-like status, drivers would arrive at glamorous Grand Prix’s in nothing more than a team-branded t-shirt and baggy pants – or worse, already kitted out in their gaudy racing overalls. Enter the inimitable Lewis Hamilton.

Flash forward to 2024 and F1 style is influencing the fashion industry at large, with a number of drivers keeping sophisticated wardrobes that are inspiring trends way beyond the grid, and filtering into the way regular guys dress themselves. Racing teams are now as much of a label as they are a constructor, with an eye on expanding their brands beyond the racing circuit. Case in point: back in 2020 Red Bull renamed its sister team AlphaTauri – now known as RB – to align with the team’s fashion brand of the same name.

But really, the style evolution of F1 can be attributed to one driver, and that’s Lewis Hamilton. In recent years, when the British driver hasn’t been winning world championship titles, he was fronting campaigns for Valentino, Tommy Hilfiger and Puma, attending major fashion events like the Met Gala and appearing in the front rows of various fashion shows. Hamilton is a man of immense styling expertise, with proficiency in offbeat artistry. He also has a reputation as a sneakerhead, and, bucking that team t-shirt trend, isn’t afraid to get experimental.

Here, we revisit some of the best fits the racer has ever worn.

A silky Dior set at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix

It’s no secret that Hamilton loves a matching set. Just look at some of the others fits he’s sported over the years. Seen around at this year’s Austrian GP, Hamilton looked relaxed in a silk pull-over and matching fluid pants by Kim Jones at Dior Men’s. And topped off with Gentle Monster G12 sunglasses, it’s his known flair for these details that add to an otherwise militaristic ensemble.

Nailing double denim at the Canada GP

If you’re going to lean into the Canadian tuxedo, you might as well do it in Canada. At Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the weekend, the outgoing Mercedes star strode through the paddock in a double denim from Tommy Hilfiger’s archival collection, a look that was completed with a pair of Timberland stompers. His outfit heater continues, and it’s showing no sign of slowing down.

Hamilton debuts the IWC ceramic glow-in-the-dark watch at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix

When not in the cockpit, it seems Hamilton can’t not be without a new set of wheels. However, the bigger impression here is perhaps his timepiece. Albeit in broad daylight, his watch is actually glow-in-the-dark. An experimental timepiece from the International Watch Company, it combines the lightweight and scratch-proof ceramic body with luminescent pigment that once in darkness will emit a nuclear blue. And there’s no person better to debut it, as Hamilton subtly matches his timepiece with the blue highlights of his jersey and tracks.

Cosy in Dior at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix

He didn’t land a spot on the podium this year, but Hamilton’s Monaco GP fits were easily the freshest on the grid. While his Stella McCartney look, which was crafted from “forest friendly viscose material”, was quite the statement, it was his lightweight, fluffy Dior cardigan that we fell for hardest. #Eclecticgrandpa, but make it shirtless.

Nailing the theme at the 2024 Met Gala

As the most undeniably fashionable man on the F1 grid, Lewis Hamilton has been a frequent attendee of the Met Gala. At the 2024 Met, Hamilton nailed the garden of time theme in an all-black Burberry fit, complete with floruishes of gold jewellery and an embroidered overcoat that served as more of a blanket, with Hamilton neglecting to make use of its sleeves. ”The outfit is focused on celebrating the life of John Ystumllyn, believed to be the first Black gardener of Britain,” Hamilton said.

Channelling Barbiecore in Valentino’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection

Way before Barbiecore was even a thing, Hamilton was selected as Valentino creative director Pierpaolo Piccoli’s muse for his ‘Pink PP’ collection, which was unveiled at Paris fashion week in 2022. Alongside Zendaya, Hamilton wore an oversized, monochrome jacket and matching trousers draped in Valentino’s signature hot pink hues. He later sat in the front row during the Maison’s runway show. Ever the trendsetter, perhaps it was Hamilton who prompted the pink craze that swept 2023. Or perhaps this is simply proof that the racer will always be ahead of the curve.

Custom LV at the 2023 British Grand Prix

Hamilton always brings out the big guns for his home Grand Prix at Silverstone, and last year was no different. Hamilton drew appreciative glances from around the paddock with the above look, a custom made, loose-fitting suit in Pharrell Williams’ revamped ‘Damier’ print, which first appeared in the creative director’s debut spring/summer 2024 collection for Louis Vuitton. Hamilton was sitting front row at the show, which was held on Paris’ Pont Neuf Bridge, and it’s clear he liked what he saw.

Incognito in Bottega Veneta at the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix

At the first Grand Prix to be held in Las Vegas in more than 30 years, Hamilton opted for stealth in a conically collared Bottega Veneta jacket. The all-red ensemble was ripped straight from the maison’s summer 2024 collection, with a custom vegan variation. The original piece was made from leather, but Hamilton—a devout vegan—had his personally altered to an animal-friendly cotton blend.

Decked out in Burberry at the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix

F1 drivers are an exceedingly small demographic, and as such, not every major fashion house has an F1 posterboy to showcase their new garms. But luckily, there’s enough of Lewis Hamilton to go around. Hamilton shifts his attention between luxury brands faster than he takes his Mercedes W15 around a hairpin turn, as demonstrated by his infatuation with Burberry late last year. This purple, blue and yellow check suit from Burberry’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection was coupled with a Hamilton staple—a pair of chunky black boots.

Diesel denim at the 2023 US Grand Prix

Hamilton’s penchant for luxury is interchangeable with his interest in streetwear, which he proved while rocking an ensemble from Italian brand Diesel at last year’s United States Grand Prix. With distressed jeans, a vibrant graphic tee layered over a striped long-sleeve shirt and limited-edition Timberlands, Hamilton nailed this look. He ended up being disqualified from this race, a setback that ultimately cost him second place in the final standings of the 2023 driver’s championship—but let’s assume the fit had nothing to do with it.

Sleeveless Versace at the 2022 Singapore Grand Prix

There’s an element of Aladdin to this fit, but boy does Hamilton pull it off. Anyway, why must a waistcoat be worn over a restrictive shirt? Hamilton proves it looks just as good—if not better—with nothing underneath, especially when it’s Versace. As Hamilton’s personal stylist Eric McNeal says, “[Hamilton] is always in such great shape and I was just like, why not? Let’s just show off your arms.” A thick silver chain and brash watch fill in the gaps nicely with this look, which is completed with a pair of sunglasses from Police.

Inversely unbuttoned Tommy Hilfiger at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Tommy Hilfiger is the official apparel partner of the Mercedes F1 team, and Hamilton has long been a fan of the brand’s work, even collaborating with Mr Hilfiger on a collection in 2018. At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix last year, he ditched the undershirt yet again with a cream denim Tommy Hilfiger jacket unbuttoned from the bottom up to reveal a Tommy waistband. Mercedes’ partnership with Tommy Hilfiger might be what Hamilton misses most about the team once he makes his inevitable departure.

Dior skants at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix

Hamilton is known to experiment with the much-maligned skant (skirt+pant) in an effort to break down constraining gender-based dressing norms. For the opening race of the 2023 F1 season, Hamilton donned a Dior skant in near 40-degree heat—a risky maneuverer, one that’s only worthwhile if you can count on such quality as Dior. This all-brown outfit features a roomy pullover (a Hamilton favourite) and a pair of pants that are half pleated skirt.