Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has revealed how several popular personalities, including NASCAR’s 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan, shaped his sense of fashion. Hamilton is known for his love of fashion and often makes bold style statements during Grand Prix weekends.
Hamilton recently featured on the cover of Vogue’s Met Issue. On May 5, he will co-chair the 2025 Met Gala alongside celebrities such as Pharrell Williams, ASAP Rocky, and Colman Domingo.
Recalling the time when he was a teenager, the Briton revealed that he didn’t have enough exposure to fashion. As a result, he relied on magazines, movies, and music videos for sources of inspiration.
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He drew inspiration from the greats across several fields, such as professional American boxer Muhammad Ali and basketball legend Michael Jordan. Reflecting on the figures who taught him the relationship between fashion and self-expression, Hamilton said:
“When I was growing up outside of London, there were no museums near me, there wasn’t much diversity, and there certainly wasn’t any exposure to fashion.
“So I lived vicariously through magazines and music videos and films. The people I looked up to—it was Muhammad Ali, it was Michael Jordan, it was Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop wearing that cool leather jacket.
“And then a little bit later I started to learn about Cab Calloway, James Baldwin, Nelson Mandela, and André Leon Talley. I saw how their image was so important to them, and how they presented themselves through fashion.”
The inspiration pushed Hamilton to reflect on himself, ultimately shaping his fashion preferences. Even though his family invested most of the money on building his racing career back then, Hamilton washed cars to earn money, giving him the means to express himself through clothing with confidence. He added:
“At the same time, I was trying to understand how I wanted to present myself. As a teenager I didn’t have any money for clothes; my family and I spent it all on racing. So I would wash cars along my street for pocket money and go to the little thrift store in town and get the Tommy Hilfiger pieces that I saw in music videos. They gave me the confidence to show up and say, ‘This is who I am.'”
The 44-year-old Ferrari F1 driver hopes that the 2025 Met Gala will inspire people to express themselves better. He said:
“I hope it allows us to show that we have ownership of our identity and how we see ourselves and how we see one another, and how we use fashion to combat preconceived notions with humanity and dignity.”
He added:
“Timing is everything, and to have co-chaired a previous Met Gala wouldn’t have been as special. I’m really proud. (Also, I remember watching Pharrell as a kid and thinking, He’s so stylish and cool. It’s surreal for me to now be co-chairing with him.) The moment is going to be huge. A testament to our legacy. A message that it can’t be erased.”