The world of fashion has so often been seen as belonging to a select few outposts in London, Milan, Paris and New York. But in 2026 it now belongs, at least in part, to sport. 

That’s not to say Roman Abramovich is buying Vogue or the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund ponders whether to back Alexander McQueen or Vivienne Westwood on a daily basis; but suits, belts and couture are now undoubtedly embedded within the sports sector. And nowhere is that more true than in Formula 1.

Having signed a 10-year, $1bn deal with LVMH – the parent company of Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Tag Heuer and many more luxury brands – Formula 1 has placed fashion front and centre of its outward-facing commercial aesthetic.

Teams now have fashion labels as sponsors, traditional sports apparel brands are delivering entire collections to the paddock, and next year the grid will gain a fashion house as a primary sponsor when two of the 22 cars will race under the Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team brand.

Formula 1 mass-market appeal

“Every livery, suit and piece of trackside branding is broadcast globally across every session, all weekend. Few sports offer a mixture of mass-market appeal and exclusivity,” Niklas Oppermann, co-founder of Williams Racing sponsor Carl Friedrik, tells City AM.

“The sport has such a rich design and engineering heritage to draw from: liveries, typography, materials, decades of visual history per team, which gives us a deep creative archive to reinterpret through our own lens.

“Our latest collection with Williams, called Grove, looks back to F1’s 1990s heyday, using a classic chestnut-and-cream palette alongside motifs that nod to the era, while still feeling distinctly us. We’ve also limited each style to just 80 units, reflecting the sense of exclusivity that has always been part of the sport’s appeal.”

Trade publication The Sponsor’s Sean Connell says that, having traditionally relied on cultural moments like the Oscars or one of the world’s fashion weeks, fashion now sees Formula 1 as a travelling catwalk.

Lewis Hamilton was a co-chair of the 2025 Met Gala – brainchild of former Vogue editor Anna Wintour – and last year attended his eighth edition of the charity ball. And while the only other Formula 1 driver to attend the New York event is Daniel Ricciardo, the likes of Charles Leclerc and George Russell have been seen on catwalk front rows.

Challenges

“The challenge now is that the early-adopter advantage is disappearing,” warns Connell. “More fashion and luxury brands are entering Formula 1, which means simply being present is no longer enough. Brands now have to work harder to genuinely stand out and create meaningful cultural impact.”

Alex Royce, head of sport at consumer brand agency Hope and Glory, points out that “A$AP Rocky becoming creative director for the Puma/F1 partnership demonstrated a strategic move into high fashion and streetwear”, and that Hamilton’s long-standing (and now finished) association with Tommy Hilfiger was a huge boon for Mercedes.

Adds Richard Exon of creative agency Joint: “For fashion brands, it’s an irresistible combination of glamour, jeopardy, celebrity and conspicuous wealth, played out across some of the world’s most aspirational destinations.”

Formula 1’s global fanbase has grown 12 per cent year-on-year, and it is getting younger and more female.

Formula 1 future

It has branched out way beyond the track and its traditional markets. Fashion, one expert says, has no language. But it’s clear Formula 1 is now seen as a showcase opportunity for the best and brightest in the luxury world – whether that be high-end or streetwear.

“F1’s global fanbase is still growing, so there’s more room to absorb additional brand partners without necessarily diluting, at least in the near term,” adds Oppermann, whose latest collection is available online. 

“It’s up to fashion brands to create meaningful partnerships and products that resonate with the sport’s audience. Ultimately, the equity that comes with being a F1 team partner signals credibility and ambition, and puts us in company with brands we admire.”