Engines will be roaring again this weekend. The Monza Grand Prix is just around the corner, and Formula One fans from all over the world are flocking to the Autodromo racing track north of Milan.
Tommy Hilfiger will also be part of the show. The sportswear brand is partnering with the Mercedes-AMG team and drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell.
Their commitment is not by chance. The designer-entrepreneur has been passionate about Formula One since his childhood. After starting to sponsor teams such as Lotus in the 1990s and appointing Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton as a brand ambassador, he has forged increasingly strong ties with the motor racing circuit to keep his brand young and relevant.
Instead of limiting itself to traditional sponsorships, Tommy Hilfiger is increasingly experimenting with unconventional projects.
Together with design talent Clarence Ruth, he has recently created a ten-piece capsule collection including a varsity jacket, an embroidered chino and T-shirts carrying the drivers' race numbers on their back.
“The popularity of Formula One has skyrocketed. The show of racing now reaches a wider audience than ever before,” Hilfiger told Tobias Bayer in TextilWirtschaft, the German sister publication of The SPIN OFF and Fashion.
You have a close relationship with Formula 1. When did you discover your passion for motor racing?
My love for Formula One goes back to my childhood. I grew up near Watkins Glen, New York, where the F1 Grand Prix circuit was located, and I was fascinated from an early age by team uniforms, acceleration and motor racing excitement.
My schoolmates were also F1 fans. I would go to the track to watch the warm-up and races, and afterward I would sneak into the pits and garages. It was all a lot of fun.
Who was the driver you admired the most?
At that time, my favorite was Jacky Stewart.
Why do Formula One and the Tommy Hilfiger brand match well together?
Because driving and the passion associated with this world reflect the core values of a brand like ours. The sport aligns with our commitment to delivering unique and engaging experiences. It is this vibrant intersection of fashion and sport that attracts a younger, more enthusiastic audience.
If you compare the F1 of today with that of your childhood, what has changed?
Technology has advanced greatly, as it has speed and safety. Popularity is at its peak and reaches a wider audience than ever before.
Fan engagement on social media has risen to new levels. Over the past few years, we have seen this sport's doors always open more and more. In addition, F1 Academy (editor's note: the women's single-seater racing championship) is revolutionizing Formula One.
The Netflix series “Drive to Survive” is a hit. To what extent has it increased the popularity of F1?
That series has revealed much of this sport to the global audience, thanks to a narrative that has been able to fuel the excitement around motorsports. It can convey high dramatic tension and lots of emotions.
You mentioned the F1 Academy. Why did you decide to collaborate with it?
Together with the F1 Academy, we use our platforms, to support young women drivers and improve the visibility of women in F1.
We sponsor Spain's Nerea Martí and collaborate with Susie Wolff, F1 Academy's CEO. This is all in line with our commitment to overcome barriers in sports. We really believe in that.
Since 2018, Tommy Hilfiger has been a partner of the Mercedes-AMG team. How did this partnership come about?
It is a result of my relationship with Lewis Hamilton. Lewis and I wanted to do something in fashion, and he asked me one day, “What if Tommy Hilfiger became a sponsor of Mercedes?”
From left: George_Russel, Clarence Ruth and Lewis Hamilton
The partnership began in 2018: we designed team kits and created four capsule collections. Recently, our collaboration has expanded to other unique fashion projects and conversations with partners such as Awake NY and Clarence Ruth, a talented young designer.
Why did you choose Clarence Ruth?
We mentor emerging designers through a partnership with Harlem's Fashion Row. The New Legacy Challenge is a design competition, and Clarence Ruth was our recent winner.
When I met him, I knew right away that he was very talented, but I didn't fully realize what level he was at until he created a mini-collection for the challenge.
As a result, we thought it would be great to include him as a contributor to the Mercedes-AMG F1 team. Lewis Hamilton also thinks Clarence has incredible skills.
It seems Lewis Hamilton's fashion judgment is very important to you…
Lewis is multifaceted. He is a true icon and a pioneer of the sport. He has a great eye for fashion and an equally great passion for music, as well as being a businessman. Furthermore, he is truly special.
In 2018, he became a global ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger menswear, and together we created five collections where fashion and sports met in innovative ways.
We presented them on the runways in Shanghai, London and other cities and sold them in our stores and department stores around the world.
People really liked what we were doing together. This gave Lewis a boost of confidence in his ability to establish himself even in the fashion world, where he is now taken very seriously.
How would you describe his style?
He has an incredible sense of style. It is different from that of George Russell, his teammate in the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team. George is very classic, while Lewis is more streetstyle and bold, so to speak.
Formula One is not the only booming sport. There is a lot of excitement around padel and pickleball. Are these phenomena relevant to you?
Definitely. Padel is an extension of tennis. The courts are a little smaller, and it is much faster. It is spreading all over the world and people are intrigued by it.
Pickleball is a middle ground between racquetball and tennis. You get a good workout in a short time. We celebrated its popularity by hosting tournaments all over Europe and integrating the sport with our summer sunglasses collections. We will be doing a lot more on padel–it's not a brand-new sport, but it's so recent, it can still be called new.
Do you play padel or pickleball?
I tried pickleball and padel; I liked both. I play tennis, since my friends still play it. That said, I see that they read more toward pickle than padel. In Florida, where I live, many people play it every day.
The Paris Olympics just ended. What was your favorite moment?
Simone Biles is a force of nature. I am also a basketball fan, so I enjoyed following the exploits of the US basketball team.
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