Finally, an F1 x Fashion Collab That Fans Will *Actually* Want to Wear

It's no huge secret that for a long time, Formula One's been a bit of a boys club. There are only 20 athletes who compete in the sport at any given time, all of whom are men. Their bosses are men, and a majority of their teams are made up of men. So it's not exactly shocking that, when it comes to merch, women aren't often the ones being catered to, making it so that rarely do they—especially women interested in fashion—actually want to wear anything currently on the market. Fortunately, with F1's meteoric rise in the wake of Netflix's successful docuseries Drive to Survive, a wave of new motorsport content creators, and even a movie starring Brad Pitt (the trailer for which was just released), fashion brands are more involved with the sport than ever before. As such, stylized F1 collections have become far more prevalent in recent years. It wasn't until this month, though, that I, as a fashion editor who spends far too much time watching cars drive quickly, came face to face with one that checked off every box.

On July 3, Levi's released an exciting new collaborative collection with one of F1's most iconic teams, McLaren. Both rooted in history, with the original denim brand releasing its first jeans in 1873 and driver Bruce McLaren kicking off his namesake team in 1963, the two companies coming together makes perfect sense, as does their decision to celebrate the collaboration at the 2024 British Grand Prix, a 74-year-old event and the home race for both McLaren and its star driver, Lando Norris. Small but mighty, the debut offering features just seven items, including a denim racing suit, patchworked 501s, and two jean jackets, one in Levi's famous Trucker style and another that's more traditional in the motorsport world with a snap-on strap at the neck and a white racing strip across the bottom.

Given that I'm far from the only F1-obsessed fashion person who's been itching to fill their wardrobe with related pieces that are wearable, cool, and different from all the overpriced yet blasé merch options that fans have been served for too long, I knew that this collection would be on the fast track to selling out, especially after Levi's held various events in London to celebrate it. And I was right—pieces are already flying off the shelves. Shop what's left below and see how I styled my favorite pieces from the just-launched Levi's x McLaren collection below. If your pick is already gone, don't fret—your local Levi's might have one in stock.

Nothing will eliminate jet lag from a red-eye flight from JFK to LHR quite like a trip to the McLaren Technology Center for an F1 fan. Trust me, I just experienced it. Last week, after a long journey and about 30 minutes of sleep, I boarded a coach bus from London to Woking, where McLaren's expansive headquarters are located. For the occasion, I styled the collection's star piece, a light-wash racing jacket that features various vintage McLaren patches and "McLaren Racing" embroidered on the back, with a white Levi's tee, my go-to capri pants from Donni, black By Far mules, and a Prada 1995 Re-Edition bag. Of course, I had to document the look in front of the MTC's spy lair esque exterior (which was casually used as a set in the new Star Wars series Andor).

This was the first of two ways that I styled the vintage-inspired jacket, proving just how versatile and wearable it is. Honestly, I don't know what I would have done on this trip without it given that before I flew out of NYC, everyone told me it was going to be hot when in actuality it was in the 50s (and raining!) almost the entire trip. Naturally, I didn't pack a single piece of outerwear, so having a unique outerwear option to throw on top of my summery outfits was the biggest blessing.

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Inside of the MTC, I swapped out my capris and racing jacket for something a little more casual, aka this crisp white T-shirt and my favorite jeans of all time: 501s. Of course, these aren't just any 501s, and they're unlike all of the at least 12 pairs that currently call my closet home. The pair pictured is from the Levi's x McLaren collection and comes in a medium-indigo wash with some light distressing, two front patches, and an embellished back pocket with a zip closure. All that with the only denim silhouette anyone could ever want: a straight leg, mid-rise, and non-stretch fit. Perfect.

What I love most about these 501s in particular is that they aren't overly worked on. Sure, there are eye-catching touches on them, but even with those, they're still very easy to style. Later in the week, I wore them with a baggier tee and the matching Trucker jacket styled over my shoulders and got just as many compliments as I did when I played it pretty safe with a timeless white T-shirt and kitten heels.

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This racing suit is by far the boldest piece from the collection, with its baggy fit, undeniable motorsport theme, and large "McLaren Cars" patch on one leg. I'd even go as far as to call it collectible. Even so, I saw at least five people wearing it over the course of my London weekend with Levi's, proving that it isn't as look-but-don't-touch as one might assume.

To make it feel more like me, I rolled up both sleeves and cuffed the bottoms, adding my signature black satin heels and Linda Farrow sunglasses. I saw some people belt it, while others wore a top underneath and tied the top half and sleeves around their waist. The possibilities, to my surprise, are endless with this jumpsuit.

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For Qualifying on Saturday, I naturally had to break out my racing jacket once again, but this time I ditched the capris for a more daytime ensemble made up of a white Levi's button-down shirt tucked into matching 501s. It was a risky choice given the wet conditions at the track, but luckily, McLaren's Paddock Club in Silverstone is both very impressive and utterly dry, allowing me to safely don an all-white outfit without fear of coming face to face with a muddy patch or unexpected bit of rain.

While at the track, I was stopped by, I kid you not, 20 people asking me where this jacket was from and how they could get one. I kindly directed them to Levi's and went on my way, knowing they were in for a treat when it finally became theirs.

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