Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1 is the brand’s latest, and boldest, move to reclaim its place in global pop culture. The red, white, and blue flag has been a staple of American style since the 1980s, with not an easy to dispute legacy built on pop culture. The brand built its empire on classic preppy looks, but it was the 1990s and early 2000s hip-hop scene that really catapulted Tommy Hilfiger into the pop culture stratosphere. Everyone from Aaliyah to Snoop Dogg wore Tommy, and for a while, the brand had its finger firmly on the pulse of youth culture. But in recent years, that connection faded. Tommy Hilfiger’s grip on the cultural conversation loosened, and the brand seemed to drift, searching for its next big moment. The comes Formula 1, with the peak of it seemingly resulting in the Formula 1 movie starring Brad Pitt, and brand’s new ambassador Damson Idris.
The Formula 1 Pivot
Now, Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1 is betting big on the world of motorsport. Over the past six months, the brand has been everywhere in F1 circles. The most striking move? Signing up Alba Hurup Larsen, one of the youngest female drivers in the sport as a new face of the brand, presented as the F1 ACADEMY™ TOMMY HILFIGER driver for the 2025 season. At the age of 15, she is not just breaking records on the track, she’s also breaking barriers in fashion, bringing a fresh, youthful energy to the Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1 image. It’s a smart play: Formula 1 is booming globally, and its fanbase is young, diverse, and style-conscious. Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has proved as a sure bet for the brands such as Dior, Valentino and Puma, but also Tommy Hilfiger. It is important to note, Formula 1 brand itself holds a slew of fashion family sponsors, permanently displayed within the sponsors of the tournaments, listing LVMH and separately its crown jewel Louis Vuitton, Puma and Tag Heuer all within the fashion indutryy niche.
Hollywood Meets the Racetrack
However, Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1 isn’t stopping at the racetrack. The brand has made a major investment in the upcoming F1-inspired film starring Brad Pitt. Here’s the kicker: Brad Pitt and his co-stars are dressed in racing outfits sporting Tommy Hilfiger branding among a myriad of car related and tech brands. The Formula car Pitt and Idris are riding also sports the Tommy logo throughout the driving scenes in a prominent upper hand left corner of the vehicle. Not subtle, not just a logo here and there, but full-on, omnipresent Tommy Hilfiger, throughout what it seems nearly 90% of the movie. Furthermore, as the face of the brand Idris is also wearing outfits from Tommy, the special APXGP Collection created to accompany the movie storyline. It’s the kind of product placement that’s impossible to ignore. For F1 fans, maybe it blends into the spectacle. For the uninitiated, it’s almost shocking how much the multiple sponsor branding dominates the screen.
A Firsthand Look: The Belgrade Screening
I attended a special screening of the F1 movie in Belgrade, hosted by Tommy Hilfiger’s local partner, Fashion Company. I was genuinely surprised by just how bold the branding was, and how exciting the film turned out to be. Tommy Hilfiger is clearly determined to dominate the F1 conversation, and it feels like they might actually be getting it right. This goes far beyond simply placing logos; it’s about carving out a new space for the brand in contemporary culture. Judging by the scale of this campaign and the significant investment behind it, Tommy Hilfiger is making a long-term bet on the synergy between F1 and their brand, with the Brad Pitt-led movie at the center. Despite Pitt’s somewhat controversial public image, the film is performing well at the global box office, prompting us to question whether his star power, or perhaps the Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1 partnership itself, is what’s truly driving all this excitement.
Tommy Hilfiger x Cadillac: Formula 1’s Fast Lane
In parallel with its cinematic push, Tommy Hilfiger has also made headlines by joining forces with Cadillac for a new Formula 1 team partnership, as covered on designscene.net. This collaboration marks a significant step for both brands, bringing together American heritage and innovation on the global racing stage. By aligning with Cadillac in Formula 1, Tommy Hilfiger is not only deepening its ties to motorsport but also reinforcing its image as a forward-thinking, culturally relevant brand. This move further cements Tommy Hilfiger’s commitment to Formula 1, signaling a long-term investment in the sport and a bold strategy to connect with a new generation of fans through both fashion and racing.
Fashion, Fast Cars, and the Future
The strategy makes sense when you look at what’s happening elsewhere in the Formula 1 world. Ferrari, for example, isn’t just a car brand anymore; it’s building a serious fashion line (Ferrari Style collection) under the helm of Creative Director Rocco Iannone, blurring the lines between motorsport and high fashion. Historically, Formula 1 sponsorships have been dominated by car and tech brands, but Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1 is making a play to be the fashion brand synonymous with the sport. Could this be the start of a new era, where Tommy Hilfiger becomes as integral to Formula 1 as the cars themselves?
It’s a risky move, sure. But in the shaky industry where brands need to do more than just sell clothes, they need to sell a lifestyle, a feeling, an experience, Tommy Hilfiger Formula 1’s all-in bet might just be the comeback story they’ve been searching for.
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