Lewis Hamilton talks new partnership with Dior, move to Ferrari and F1 movie

PARIS — Whenever Lewis Hamilton steps onto a Formula One race track, executives at fashion and luxury brands cheer.

The British driver has built a reputation as one of F1’s most stylish racers and even has his own clothing line, and now Hamilton is set to break into the luxury big leagues as a Dior brand ambassador and guest designer for the brand’s new lifestyle capsule collection.

Bonded by a shared commitment to sustainability and a passion for Africa, Hamilton and Dior menswear artistic director Kim Jones collaborated on the line, which will be available in Dior boutiques and online on October 17th.

The partnership comes as seven-time world champion Hamilton prepares to move to Ferrari in 2025 after 12 seasons with Mercedes. The shock decision will unite the most successful driver and most successful team in the sport’s history as Hamilton pursues a record-breaking eighth title.

Hamilton, a Paris Fashion Week regular, first met Jones in a backstage meet-and-greet crowd while the designer was still at Louis Vuitton in 2016. The two have developed a strong friendship since then, even planning a vacation together in Mozambique this summer.

“We talk a lot about Africa,” Hamilton told WWD during an exclusive joint interview with Jones at the Dior men’s showroom in Paris. The athlete has traveled to the continent to explore his roots and has spoken about his dream of one day racing there.

The son of a hydrogeologist, Jones spent his childhood in African countries including Botswana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana, and is a passionate conservationist who works to protect endangered species.

It’s no surprise that their debut collaboration touches on all of these points, with outdoor-friendly clothing made from 80% sustainable materials and featuring African-inspired motifs.

“Some of the fabrics were made in Burkina Faso. We’re working with people who can help us source sustainable fabrics across the continent and really thinking about what we can do to help the next generation get educated and work in studios like this,” Jones said.

“We want to make sure it has an effect,” Hamilton added.

The driver, who has been following a plant-based diet for years, also requested that he not use animal leather.

“Making it sustainable was key,” he said. “Big brands like Dior are pushing this technology, so the goal is always to inspire all other brands to start doing the same, because a lot of brands aren’t aware of it.”

Hamilton is known as a hands-on collaborator: “This has been a dream come true, to be honest with you,” he enthused, comparing the 2,000 people who work behind the scenes at Mercedes cars to Dior’s menswear team.

Surprisingly, the collection focuses not on motorsports, but on skiing and snowboarding. Hamilton turns out to be a fan of extreme sports: “I started snowboarding when I was 23, which is actually quite late, but I do it every year,” he says. “I also skydive and surf.”

He’s also learning to fly helicopters: “I’m trying to get my licence but it’s hard to find the time, so I’ve only managed to get about 15 hours flying time so far,” he says.

The line is made for an active lifestyle and includes pants in a variety of fabrics from denim to tweed, knits, sweatshirts and fleece tops made partly from organic or recycled fibers, as well as technical wear from Descente, the Japanese ski apparel maker that has collaborated with Dior since the luxury brand launched a ski capsule in 2020.

Accessories include the B44 Blade and Snow sneakers (the latter of which is technically suitable for snowboarding).

“I wanted to bring some vibrancy and think about how I could do something a little different than what Dior is known for,” Hamilton says. “It’s very comfortable. It’s definitely a more relaxed vibe.”

His personal outfits are closely tracked on Instagram accounts like @hamazinglew, making him the perfect choice to be a brand ambassador for the French fashion house.

The driver wore a number of Dior pieces to his recent victory at the British Grand Prix, which ended the longest winless streak of his career, including an embroidered blue-and-white jacket from Dior’s Spring 2025 collection inspired by South African ceramic master Hilton Nel.

“It’s always exciting when I see it because I know he’s wearing it because he loves it,” Jones said, praising Hamilton for breaking sporting boundaries and making a statement with his clothing.

“Lewis does a lot for young designers and independent designers,” he noted, “who need that help right now in this climate.”

Hamilton, who has previously worked with Law Roach, worked with stylist Eric MacNeil on his look.

“I try to be really intentional, so there’s a lot of planning going on,” he said. “We look at the calendar and the different places we’re going to. So if we’re going to Italy, Canada or the U.S., we’re going to try to focus on young, up-and-coming designers, especially diverse designers, and give them a platform.”

He occasionally uses the costumes to speak out for broader causes, like the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, as part of an effort to promote diversity in his field.

“It reminds me of myself as an 8-year-old watching TV,” he said, adding that he wants to inspire today’s youth. “They’ll ask their parents, ‘Why is Lewis wearing that?’ And it starts a conversation at the table, whether it’s comfortable or not.”

As F1’s first black driver, Hamilton has had to fight to be himself.

“I had no motivation. Fashion has no place in sport. So I tried to give it a go, but every time it was a real risk because every time I did it, people would write negative things,” he recalls.

“And little by little, people started to see, ‘Oh, actually, he can transform like this and it’s clearly having a positive effect on his racing.’ And other drivers are starting to come out of their shells and it’s really exciting to see other drivers being more expressive now,” he said.

Hamilton has been an ambassador for Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen since joining Mercedes in 2013, but is expected to move to Richard Mille when he moves to Ferrari next year.

He plans to grow his clothing line, Plus 44, named after his racing number, into a permanent collection after focusing on collaborations with people like artist Takashi Murakami. Hamilton has also been designing several collections with Tommy Hilfiger since 2018.

Ferrari’s sponsors include Giorgio Armani and the Italian car company also has a luxury clothing collection designed by Rocco Iannone, while Hamilton is set to continue its partnership with Dior for the next few seasons.

“We’re building a long-term relationship,” Jones explained. “This is almost like a taster, and then we’ll work on a larger collection.”

Hamilton said he wanted to help Mercedes finish the season on a strong note, but described a move to Ferrari as a “dream scenario”, noting that as a child he raced as Michael Schumacher in F1 video games.

“I’ve always looked at the screen and wondered what it would be like to drive a red car, so I think this will be an interesting experience and I’m really excited about it,” he said.

Hamilton is tied with Schumacher as the driver with the most world championship wins. “I’m trying to get my eighth win, I’ve just got to keep trying,” said the 39-year-old.

He’s also gearing up for next year’s release of “Formula 1,” a film he’s co-producing with Hollywood veteran Jerry Bruckheimer and starring Brad Pitt. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film was shot during actual races at real race tracks, and a preview will premiere at Silverstone on July 7.

“I’ve never seen a racing movie like this. I think it’s been very difficult to make a racing movie before, but I think there are people who have done a good job. Rush, for example, was brilliant,” Hamilton said excitedly.

“But Joe has a great eye for observation and the technology we use, cameras designed specifically for this, will capture the race and the speed, so you’ll be able to sit there and really feel like you’re in the car with us and have the same exhilarating feeling as we do when we’re in the car,” he added.

Hamilton, meanwhile, is looking forward to spending time with Jones over the summer – and fashion and racing aren’t on the agenda.

“I don’t always like to talk about fashion because I’m interested in other things,” Jones said.

“Me too, I don’t like talking about racing,” Hamilton retorted.

“Maybe we’ll be looking for dugongs or something,” Jones said with a laugh. “Someone to spend time with, and I’ll learn things from you and you’ll learn things from me.”