At Formula 1, Tommy Hilfiger Is Everywhere

“Race car drivers are the new rock stars,” proclaimed Tommy Hilfiger, his pearly white smile beaming over a glass of pinot grigio across a table at the Aria’s Cathédrale restaurant, where his namesake brand is hosting an elegant dinner mere hours before the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix. Tommy can’t stay long though: the 73-year-old designer, whose classic red, white and navy logo is all over Sin City’s grounds (his Awake NY x Mercedes-AMG collaboration, in particular, was spotted too many times to count), has more hands to shake, racers to dress, influencers to entertain and photos to take. “It’s crazy here,” he says. “Look at the energy.”

Hilfiger has been involved with Formula 1 for more than 30 years. In 1991, he established his first sponsorship with Team Lotus, for whom he provided with bespoke uniforms during a three-season stretch. In 1998, Hilfiger became the official clothing sponsor for Ferrari, a role he maintained for another four years. During a brief break from sponsoring the sport, he remained a loyal fan and even learned how to drive his own Ferrari Enzo at his former business partner and present-day Aston Martin Formula 1 team owner Lawrence Stroll’s personal track. Then, he made a glorious return to the racetrack as a sponsor of Mercedes-AMG in 2018.

So, when Hilfiger compares the likes of George Russell to Mick Jagger, he’s emphasizing just how much he’s witnessed the fanfare and the culture surrounding the sport’s biggest players skyrocket. “The race is packed with people from the sports world, influencers, fashion people, and Hollywood people,” he says. “It’s a real mix of pop culture icons and major fans.”

The day before this dinner, Hilfiger spoke at The Female Quotient’s panel series alongside the leaders of F1 Academy. This female-only, junior-level single-seater racing championship serves to platform the next generation of women in motorsports. There, he announced some particularly exciting news for his brand: the 16-year-old Danish racer Alba Hurup Larsen, often called “the fastest girl in the world,” has officially signed on as the F1 Academy Tommy Hilfiger driver for 2025.

“Sometimes when you meet someone, you just know,” Hilfiger explains. Hurup Larsen, who will race in a suit and a car sporting Hilfiger’s signature red, white and blue branding, says she is “deeply honored” to fly the Hilfiger flag. “Having this support at such a pivotal stage in my career means the world to me,” she adds.

Over at the track, flashing cameras and fan cheers signaled the arrival of seven-time Formula 1 world champion and Mercedes-AMG driver Lewis Hamilton, a long-time friend and collaborator of Hilfiger’s who stepped onto the course in a custom Tommy Jeans get-up that shimmered with sequins from head to toe. “Lewis Hamilton is the only race car driver in the world who would wear sequins, I guarantee,” Hilfiger laughed. “He has great taste, and it’s not just us designing something and putting his name on it. It is a true collaboration.”

Hamilton clearly took to Las Vegas’ glitz and exuberance, wearing a shiny varsity jacket and chinos in navy and white tones with an archival logo from the duo’s plethora of robust collaborations (Hamilton and Hilfiger previously joined forces on five racing-inspired capsules from Fall 2018 to Fall 2020). Hilfiger says the look was his favorite that he and Hamilton have ever created together, while answering a couple questions from the racer in conversation with Hypebeast before the Grand Prix the following day.

Lewis Hamilton: What’s your favorite F1 memory of ours?

Tommy Hilfiger: After the Monaco race in 2019, just before COVID. Lewis came to our boat, and Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid were there, and Lewis wouldn't leave. I said, “Lewis, it's getting late. Don't you have to race tomorrow?” Long story short, we had a great time. Lewis started surfing on this automatic surfboard. We love Lewis.

Best look we’ve created together?

I really love what he's wearing here in Las Vegas because only Lewis can get away with wearing sequins at the track. He's bold. He's daring. He's not one who would maybe be too shy to wear something outrageous.

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How do you remain driven?

Every day, I'm looking at what might be next in my life, whether that’s from a design standpoint or where we're going to do our next fashion show. How do we continue to build this lifestyle brand worldwide? I'm always driven to figure out what the next thing is. And my team thinks I'm a little crazy because I'm always saying, “What's next?”

What’s more important to you — speed or agility?

Agility is much more important to me because I think agility gives you control. With speed, you can go out of control.

Where are you steering F1 fashion next?

I think F1 fashion is going to be more sustainable and very technical because drivers and crews are out in the elements. The heat can be a lot, so technology will be important in making breathable, waterproof fabrics in a sustainable way.

Hamilton placed 10th in the qualifying race, while his teammate, the 26-year-old British driver George Russell, stormed to pole position, ending a months-long run of Ferrari and McLaren poles stretching back to July. Pulling up to The Paddock on Saturday for the big race, Russell and his partner Carmen Montero wore full Tommy Hilfiger: he in a pinstripe double-breasted navy blazer with matching pinstripe drawstring trousers, and she in an all-scarlet ensemble comprising a turtleneck sweater and tailored trousers. In comparison to Hamilton’s bold style choices, Hilfiger noted that George is "more demure." Still, all eyes were on the driver, who had won two Grand Prixs — São Paulo in 2022 and Austria in 2024 — prior to this weekend.

That brings us back to this dinner table, where Hilfiger’s team is just receiving images of Russell’s look, and the designer himself is weighing in on how he hopes to see the race finish before heading over to The Paddock himself: “I would like to see George win, and I would like to see Lewis creep up into the number two spot.” Perhaps Hilfiger is Formula 1’s oracle, or maybe he just knows his drivers extremely well, because that’s exactly how it played out: Russell in first with a time of 1:22:05.969; Hamilton trailing behind by 7.313 seconds — and, most importantly for Tommy, both in signature Hilfiger.

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