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Julian Day Ensured Up-and-Coming Designers Were The Real Winners of 'F1'
Fashion
Fashion
Revving up excitement across the world, "F1" tells the story of fierce competition and even bolder fashion.
Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt in "F1." Courtesy of Apple Original Movies.
Featuring a stellar cast of Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, Damson Idris, and Kerry Condon, "F1" follows the journey of a retired Formula 1 driver brought back into the races by a manager facing the demise of his team, bringing together a cocktail of fame, ego, and materialistic tendencies that are intrinsic to the lifestyle.
Interest in Formula 1 racing has rocketed, with the huge success of the Netflix series, "Drive To Survive," and the F1 Monaco Grand Prix. Luxury fashion and fine watch brands like Rolex and Louis Vuitton sponsor the races — Tag Heuer supplied four iterations of the striking Monaco watch that the actors wear in the movie — and Tommy Hilfiger, a recognisable brand for the sport, was one of the sponsors for the APXGP car that takes center stage in the story. Almost space-age in its look and feel, with top-notch technology and the modern-day lifestyles of the rich and famous showcased throughout, the fashion followed suit. During a screening and Q&A session with Julian Day in London, the famed costume designer spoke about how he created a stylish film that goes beyond the familiar world of Formula 1, by spotlighting contemporary, alternative designers, to create standout looks that define each character.
Known for his work in "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Rocketman," Day has a long personal history with Formula 1, growing up attending the races with his father. “My dad sponsored Formula 1 cars in the 1970s, so I was into F1 at that point and obviously did "Rush," he explains. "Actually, my dad's car appeared in the film, which was cool."
F1 drivers have become fashion figures within their own right, and Day admitted he sought inspiration for the costumes from the sport's fashion leader (and the film's producer) Lewis Hamilton. Genuine OMP racer suits were specially crafted for the movie. "Lewis saw one of the suits when they were having a meeting and was like, 'Oh, wow. This is better than the one I drive in.' So that was quite good."
Between styling the racer suits, it was the paddock attire that gained traction, especially some of the emerging designers he styled on Damson Idris, who plays a British rookie named Joshua Pearce in the film. "Joshua is from south-east London and I wanted to give him a real contemporary feel, so I used lots of young designers," he notes. One of those brands is Sage Nation. Built on a fusion of Japanese and British heritage, the London-founded brand specialises in utilitarian styles from parachute trousers to work shackets and structured knits to elevate everyday wear.
"I also used a lot of brands from India that Lewis Hamilton wears, like Kartik Research and 11.11. So a mix of very contemporary, multicultural brands that would reflect what Joshua would have seen in his environment," Day adds. Other brands worn by the actor explore similar diverse approaches; the Legacy cut-out tank by Wales Bonner — another London-based brand that blends its Afro-Atlantic spirit with traditional silhouettes and noteworthy collaborations with Adidas.
Jewelry and accessories also play a big part, from the pendant chains and aviator sunglasses to pearl bracelets, some designed by Idris himself. It was at the 2025 Met Gala that he hard-launched his luxury jewelry house, DIDRIS, arriving in a race car wearing a white leather Formula 1 race suit, complete with a Swarovski-encrusted helmet and his own designs.
For Pitt's character, Day took a more off-duty, classic western approach. "In the movie, he's a maverick. He's a cowboy, a loner, a gambler. So I mean, I wanted this idea of harking back to the heroes in the '70s, you know, Kris Kristofferson, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman…so that's what my mood board was," he notes. "You know, retro cool, that sort of double denim, cowboy look with the cowboy boots. We used some 1960s original Levi's jeans, and some '70s Wrangler shirts, but everything else, like the Loro Piana jacket, had a sort of contemporary feel to it," he said, adding that Pitt is a "dream to dress."
"I used a great British brand called t, which has very classic, beautiful sweatshirts. So there was the use of vintage clothing, but also contemporary clothing that looked vintage." Other staple pieces include the Sunspel sweatshirt, which has been a core piece of their collection for fifteen years. The brand is doing a limited run of each color Pitt wears in the movie — thyme green and pale pink. "It was probably the best-looking cast that I ever had to dress in my career. I mean, Javier, Brad, Damson, I mean…c'mon," Day said. "For Javier's suits, we went to Zegna and Gucci and Tom Ford and Javier loved it. I mean, he is just the coolest man you'd ever want to meet."
As for his favorite outfit of them all? Day can't name just one. "I did like Joshua's outfit at Silverstone, the orange. It really popped. I actually really loved Brad's outfit when he returns from Vegas. When you see him, it's that denim shirt, which is 11.11 and Levi's jeans, he looks so good in that, with the glasses. love how Javier looks at the factory when he's in the black suit, the black tie," he said. "Obviously, he's got his lucky socks. My associate designer found this amazing brand called Rototo, which is Japanese. The most beautiful socks in the world."
