Lewis Hamilton debuts as guest designer for Dior

Beyond his infinite merits as a driver, Lewis Hamilton is the athlete who best transitioned into a fashion icon, becoming famous for his numerous outfits (often full looks, but we hold out hope) and cultivating a style that has brought the most important fashion brands to the lips of men around the world. But today, a new milestone in Hamilton's fashion advancement has been announced: he will design a capsule collection for Dior. After several seasons without explicit and direct collaborations (the last being the one with Denim Tears, presented alongside the Egyptian show some time ago) and several years since his experiment with a guest designer more familiar with the interiors of boutiques than with those of an atelier or factory, namely the relatively unfortunate collaboration with Travis Scott that was withdrawn from stores after the tragic events of Astroworld and then re-released in stores two summers ago.

The first collaboration between Lewis Hamilton and Dior focuses on ski and snowboard clothing, an unusual choice considering Hamilton's background behind the wheel. Nonetheless, Jones has learned the lesson: leaving the main collection undisturbed and collaborating with figures outside fashion on a more manageable winter skiwear capsule. The collection reflects Hamilton's personal interest in extreme sports, including snowboarding, skydiving, and surfing, with fabrics ranging from denim to tweed; sweaters, sweatshirts, and fleece tops, and technical clothing produced by the Japanese skiwear brand Descente, which has collaborated with Dior since the launch of the brand's ski capsule in 2020. Accessories include the B44 Blade and Snow sneakers, the latter technically suited for snowboarding. Aesthetically, the clothes incorporate African-inspired motifs, with some fabrics sourced from Burkina Faso, emphasizing the duo's commitment to supporting local communities and promoting sustainable practices. Since Hamilton is vegan, there is no leather in the collection.

Indeed, that transition from a mere athlete to a presence in the fashion world (something similar was done by Federer with Louis Vuitton campaigns and investments in On) seems to have been in Hamilton's plans for some time. Since joining Mercedes in 2013, he has been an ambassador for Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen and is expected to switch to Richard Mille with his move to Ferrari next year. Despite Ferrari having its own fashion line and Giorgio Armani as a sponsor, the connection between the driver and Dior will remain unchanged. In the world of design, the driver has also designed several collections with Tommy Hilfiger since 2018 and recently announced plans for his own brand, Plus 44, named after his racing number, as well as a potential collaboration with Takashi Murakami.