Can Automotive Brands Truly Break into Fashion?
As the roar of Formula One (F1) engines returns to Shanghai with the Chinese Grand Prix, the convergence of high-speed motorsport and high-end fashion is accelerating. Observing the world champion Lewis Hamilton’s Instagram, one sees a bold synergy between the two worlds, from images of the new Ferrari team wardrobe to his brand’s exclusive +44 x Sorayama collaboration, which was timed to coincide with the Shanghai Grand Prix. Even the F1 grid has become a runway, transforming drivers into style icons, and cars into canvases for culture.
The rising influence of motorsport is no accident. As F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali, told Jing Daily in an interview, “We want our fans to have a 365-day relationship with Formula 1, and that means engaging with them not just at races, but online, in fashion, and within their everyday culture.”
Beyond F1’s growing reputation as a style hub, the automotive industry’s connections to fashion have deepened in recent years. Automakers are collaborating with designers and even attempting to establish themselves as fashion brands.
Under creative director Rocco Iannone, Ferrari has already presented seven Milan Fashion Week shows. Last month, Range Rover entered the industry with an eight-piece clothing capsule, featuring supermodel Adwoa Aboah in its campaign. Bugatti opened its first fashion store in London over a decade ago. The question remains: Can automotive companies reach the fashion potential of established luxury houses?
The F1 Influence
What was once a niche sport for motorsport enthusiasts has become a global entertainment spectacle. Following Liberty Media’s acquisition of Formula One in 2016, the sport has been transformed into a year-round content machine. With just 20 drivers across a 24-race calendar in 2025, F1 is cultivating superstar status for each driver. Their visibility now rivals that of top-tier celebrities.
As a result, F1 drivers such as Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are regular attendees at fashion weeks, serving as the faces of luxury campaigns and even co-designing collections. As teams expand their brand equity, their role in fashion is intensifying, and is becoming ever more strategic.
Streetwear Strategy
Automotive brands are turning to fashion as a new revenue stream, which has led to a surge in luxury streetwear collaborations.
Porsche continues its partnership with the cult label Aimé Leon Dore (ALD), with their fourth collaboration debuting in April 2024. This featured a restored 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo and a campaign starring Action Bronson.
Bentley recently entered the conversation with its first capsule in Q4 2024, teaming up with the lifestyle brand Picante. BMW, meanwhile, has collaborated with Kith three times since 2021.
F1 Drivers as Luxury Style Icons
F1’s cultural crossover is also fueled by the drivers themselves. They are spotted in front rows, star in brand campaigns, and have amassed legions of Gen Z fans on TikTok and Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote). Drivers now wield the same influence as A-list celebrities.
Ferrari’s collaboration with Puma for the 2025 season reflects this shift, blending high-performance design with luxury aesthetics. Standout pieces in the collection include a neo-Chinese Tang suit jacket and a reimagined Speedcat sneaker, a recent favorite of Gen Z.
Why Automakers Are Looking to Fashion
In the face of market uncertainty, car brands are looking beyond the showroom to find opportunities. Bentley saw operating profits fall from 589 million euros in 2023 to 373 million euros in 2024, and Porsche announced plans to cut 4,000 jobs following a 28% sales drop in China. BMW also saw its net profits decline by 37% in 2024. In this context, fashion offers a high-visibility, culture-driven opportunity for reinvention.
However, while car brands excel at commercial branding, few have yet truly mastered cultural credibility. Despite strong design and craftsmanship, Ferrari’s fashion collections don’t receive the same critical acclaim as established luxury houses. For now, wearing a car brand’s logo often feels more like merchandise than a genuine fashion statement.
The Road Ahead: Fashion, Not Just Formula
To connect with today’s luxury consumer, car brands must move beyond simply putting their logos out there. Prioritizing textile innovation, tailoring, and storytelling could position automakers as authentic fashion players. Leveraging their design ethos and cultural capital, brands such as Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, or Porsche could forge their own paths in the fashion world, rather than just following in the tire tracks of sportswear.
As Formula 1 continues to expand its cultural footprint, the opportunity is clear: a future where a fashion critic might take a Formula One fashion line as seriously as they do a runway show in Paris.
