Tommy Hilfiger & Awake NY feel the need for speed with new F1 collab

Tommy Hilfiger has a long history of collaboration, joining forces with the likes of London-based designer Richard Quinn, cult British streetwear brand Aries, and international superstar musician Shawn Mendes in the last year alone. 

It’s said that two heads are better than one, so it makes total sense that the legendary American designer would invite forward-thinking creative minds into the Tommy fold, allowing them the space to reimagine his house’s classic codes and breathe new life into preppy styles buried in his enormous New Jersey archive. 

Bolstering his already steadfast links with the sporting world, Hilfiger’s latest link-up sees him meet NY streetwear brand Awake NY to create a capsule collection of looks inspired by and for the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One racing team. 

“I’ve been an F1 fan since I was a kid, and we’ve been breaking conventions in our partnerships with the sport since the 90s,” he explained of the partnership, adding he wanted to create “a bold new perspective for the next generation of racegoers.” 

Awake’s creative director Angelo Baque shares Hilfiger’s enthusiasm and love for F1, so the collab felt like a no-brainer for the New York native. Let loose in the Tommy archives ahead of the project, Baque spoke of the way wandering its halls sparked “nostalgia of his youth”, which inspired his approach to the gender-inclusive offering. 

On the line-up are seven styles which clash Baque’s signature street sensibilities with Tommy’s iconic prep aesthetic: baseball jerseys are updated with Miami Grand Prix motifs and dual-branding, while racing jerseys in acid neon blues, pinks, and yellows bear the numbers of the Mercedes-AMG racing team’s numbers: Lewis Hamilton’s 44 and George Russell’s 63. 

With Hamilton, Russell, and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Reserve Driver Mick Schumacher starring in an accompanying campaign, rounding things off is a style dedicated to Tommy himself. Bearing the number 85, the t-shirt pays tribute to the year the designer first began laying the framework for what would quickly become a fashion behemoth and, soon after, a household name. 

 “Never in a million years did I think this Ecuadorian kid from Queens, NY, would be designing pieces proudly worn by Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Mercedes-AMG F1,” Baque added. “Seeing Tommy, Lewis and myself working  together on this project is important for the younger versions of ourselves to understand representation matters.” 

Beyond this important representation, the collaboration is set to work alongside the Creatives Want Change (CWC) initiative, which enriches BIPOC kids from high school age with the skills and knowledge to allow them to enter the creative industries. A selection of those enrolled in the initiative will be invited to attend the May 7 Miami race, gaining one to one time with Baque as he details how a project like this comes to fruition. 

“Change is an inevitable part of both sport and life. As a team, we understand the importance of embracing this on and off the track to continually innovate, inspire, and tackle the challenges presented to us,” said  Toto Wolff, CEO and team principal of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. “We’re proud to celebrate these shared values through this collaboration; not only creating an iconic collection but by supporting and highlighting creators from underrepresented communities.” 

Click through the gallery above for a closer look at the Tommy x Mercedes-AMG F1 x Awake NY collection, and head here to shop.