The Las Vegas Grand Prix Was Basically a Runway Show—11 Looks That Prove It
One scroll through Instagram this weekend—whether you're a fan of Formula One like I am or only know of the racing competition because the icon for its docuseries Drive to Survive pops up on Netflix (likely after you wrapped up Beckham)—and you no doubt caught a glimpse of the happenings around the Las Vegas Grand Prix. That's because in addition to the sport growing at a record pace in the U.S. thanks to the series, countless fashion collabs, F1 content creators, and more, celebrities and influencers were a dime a dozen during the three-day race weekend at pop-ups, parties, and, of course, the track, which took over the Las Vegas strip, spanning Treasure Island to Planet Hollywood, past the Mirage, Bellagio, and Cosmopolitan casinos. Even Monaco, one of the oldest and most prestigious F1 venues, doesn't bring in the caliber of names that Las Vegas did this weekend.
Mercedes AMG Petronas driver and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton led the charge as he so often does, rocking up to the paddock for media day wearing an all-black Valentino look from the house's S/S 24 menswear collection, with a pearl choker from the brand as well as Versace boots. (If you're a fan of Hamilton's style, follow @hamazinglew on Instagram to be the first to know when a new look drops.) The following day, he wore another runway look, this time from Pharrell's S/S 24 collection for Louis Vuitton with IWC's Pilot's Perpetual Calendar Top Gun Lake Tahoe watch and Bottega Veneta's drop aviators (that Kendall Jenner was just seen wearing as well). Lewis Hamilton Fashion Week, as some online have penned the weekend, continued with custom Bottega Veneta, custom Burberry by Daniel Lee, and a custom Las Vegas–inspired bomber jacket by Donatella Versace herself. "A true Versace man: Bold, fearless and with amazing style," Versace captioned a photo of the jacket on Instagram. "I looooove that jacket on you, Lewis Hamilton. Always on your team!"
On Lewis Hamilton: Custom Bottega Veneta set; Jacques Marie Mage sunglasses; Valentino VLogo Signature Metal Necklace With Swarovski Pearls ($790); Chrome Hearts ring; Versace boots
On Lewis Hamilton: Custom Burberry jacket, sweater, pants, and boots; Port Tanger Sabea Sunglasses ($310)
But Hamilton's always showing up to the track clad in designer 'fits thanks to his daring sense of style and the work of his stylist, Eric McNeal. Others, like A$AP Rocky and Rihanna, aren't around as often. But given that Rocky was just appointed creative director of F1's partnership with Puma, he was expected to arrive dressed to the nines in his debut collection for the brand, especially since he attended the Miami Grand Prix back in June. Rihanna—clad in runway Prada and Balenciaga, Gucci accessories, and a custom Jacob & Co. watch anklet (!!)—was a delightful surprise. Event after event, the musician and Fenty Beauty founder delivered in the style department, proving my own theory that F1 weekends are the new fashion week, with drivers and attendees alike placing emphasis on style when the lights go out. Except instead of two months per year, the season runs all the way from March to November with up to 23 races in total, meaning there's really no end to the sartorial possibilities when it comes to F1.
Scroll down for the Las Vegas Grand Prix looks from Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and more.
On Rihanna: Prada coat and vest; Giuseppe Zanotti Intrigo 90 Patent Leather Sandals ($790)
On Rihanna: Balenciaga Apron Cotton Cargo Maxi Skirt ($1341); Gucci Medium Horsebit Chain Bag ($3890) and jacket; Adidas jersey; Awge hat; Puma sneakers
On Rihanna: Balenciaga sweatshirt, jacket, and leggings; Messika jewelry; custom Jacob & Co. watch anklet; Ambush sunglasses
More well-dressed attendees of the Las Vegas Grand Prix:
On Simone Ashley: Joseph Lancry Topstitched Leather Coat ($1235)
On Simone Ashley: Ami Paris Double-Breasted Herringbone Wool-Blend Coat ($1360), Scoop-Neck Tank Top ($183), and Crushed-Velvet Wide-Leg Cargo Pants ($838)
On Lupita Nyong'o: Chanel vest, T-shirt, shorts, shoes, and bag; Carrera Flaglab 99MM Shield Sunglasses ($225)
On Paris Hilton: Chanel bag
On Ashley Graham: De La Vali dress; Giuseppe Zanotti Lilii Borea Wedge Sandals ($995)
On Nina Dobrev: Gianvito Rossi Nappa Leather Grommet Knee-High Boots ($2295)
Shop the motorcore trend:
Eliza Huber is a New York City–based fashion editor who specializes in trend reporting, brand discovery, and celebrity style. She joined Who What Wear in 2021 after almost four years on the fashion editorial team at Refinery29, the job she took after graduating with a marketing degree from the University of Iowa. She has since launched two monthly columns, Let's Get a Room and Ways to Wear; profiled the likes of Dakota Fanning, Diane Kruger, Katie Holmes, and Sabrina Carpenter for WWW's monthly cover features; and reported on everything from the relationship between Formula One and fashion to the top trends from fashion month, season after season. Eliza now lives on the Upper West Side and spends her free time researching F1 fashion imagery for her side Instagram accounts @thepinnacleoffashion and @f1paddockfits, running in Central Park, and scouring eBay for '90s Prada and '80s Yves Saint Laurent.
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