Ferrari System 1 driver Lewis Hamilton made a putting entrance on the 2025 Met Gala, embracing his position as co-chair of the celebrated style occasion with a glance that blended magnificence, symbolism, and cultural resonance. The British racing champion wore a custom-designed cream ensemble by famend British designer Grace Wales Bonner, complemented by an identical beret adorned with a gold brooch. The tailor-made outfit featured a silk bow tie, elongated tails, and a second brooch encrusted with jewels—every factor fastidiously chosen to align with the occasion’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Model.”
Hamilton spoke with Vogue forward of the gala, reflecting on the meticulous planning behind his look. He shared that he and his stylist, Eric McNeal, had spent appreciable time conceptualizing the outfit. Their aim was to method style with deliberate thought and cultural consciousness, hoping others in attendance would additionally take the chance to replicate deeply on the theme and its historic significance. McNeal revealed that the inventive course of had spanned over 5 months—three devoted to analysis and two to execution—underscoring the intention and craftsmanship behind each element. He emphasised that the design was about excess of aesthetics, stating it was imbued with that means and narrative.
Grace Wales Bonner, a South London-born designer celebrated for mixing style with cultural storytelling, additionally shared perception into the collaboration. In her dialog with Vogue, she famous that the outfit drew inspiration from quite a lot of sources, together with the paintings of Barkley L. Hendricks and traditions of Black non secular dressing. The design integrated Bonner’s signature craftsmanship via intricate elaborations and symbolic parts reminiscent of baobab flower motifs, cowrie shells, and mother-of-pearl buttons. Every element, she defined, was chosen to inform a narrative and honor heritage via materials and type.
Lewis Hamilton has lengthy spoken about his evolving relationship with style. Reflecting on his private model journey in an interview with Newsweek Sports activities, he recalled his teenage years, when monetary constraints meant that the majority of his household’s sources went towards supporting his racing profession. To afford garments, he would wash automobiles for extra cash and store at native thrift shops, gravitating towards manufacturers like Tommy Hilfiger that he had seen in music movies. These early style decisions, he stated, gave him the boldness to specific himself authentically.
The Ferrari driver recounted a pivotal second simply earlier than getting into System 1, when a senior determine in motorsport had scrutinized his outfit disapprovingly. Wearing FUBU and Timberlands, Lewis Hamilton felt stress to adapt. The British driver shared that at occasions he would go away the home in conservative apparel to appease expectations, solely to alter into his most popular “dishevelled, swagged-out” look as soon as out of sight—a duality that spoke to the strain between self-expression and societal norms.
Talking concerning the 2025 Met Gala particularly, Lewis Hamilton highlighted the occasion’s potential to make a robust cultural assertion. The seven-time System 1 world champion expressed hope that it will encourage others to embrace their id and problem stereotypes via style, framing it as a type of resistance and affirmation. Within the context of ongoing debates round variety, notably in the USA, Hamilton seen the gala as a well timed reminder of the significance of honoring and uplifting Black historical past.
Reflecting on the importance of co-chairing, he described the expertise as deeply private and impactful. He famous that had this chance come earlier in his life, it may not have carried the identical weight. Hamilton additionally spoke of the surreal honor of co-chairing alongside figures he admired rising up, reminiscent of Pharrell Williams, emphasizing that the second represented greater than style—it was a declaration of legacy and id, and a reminder that cultural contributions can’t be erased.
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