How Zhou Guanyu’s F1 Trend Showcases His Persona

Trend is in Zhou Guanyu’s blood — actually.

In contrast to many Method 1 drivers whose parentage is usually linked to the broader motorsports trade, Guanyu’s mom was a designer and labored on trend units.

As the primary Chinese language driver in Method 1, Guanyu has continued to interrupt obstacles within the motorsports house and past. Particularly in China’s market, his recognition has skyrocketed since he joined Sauber’s Method 1 group two years in the past — Guanyu boasts greater than 4 million followers throughout social media platforms Weibo, Xiaohongshu (or Little Crimson E-book) and Instagram.

Most notably, Guanyu is a model ambassador for Dior in China and has labored with the likes of Lululemon, Puma, LVMH’s Hennessy and extra over time.

This yr additionally marked the game’s return of the Chinese language Grand Prix to the game’s calendar, held in Shanghai — the place Guanyu was born. He acquired a hero’s welcome and was given a particular spot to park his automotive on the grid post-race to rejoice his first house race.

Viola Meng, a Shanghai-based designer and vp of the Affiliation of Picture Consultants Worldwide Chapters East, stated that Guanyu’s rise in recognition has additionally widened the game’s recognition in China and made him “a central determine for each present followers and newcomers.”

Furthermore, she stated Guanyu’s place as the primary and solely driver from China has put him in a “distinctive place that fosters a way of nationwide illustration — and resonates with younger Chinese language followers.”

Guanyu’s continued presence at varied trend week occasions over time “signifies a profitable crossover from motorsport to way of life and trend, enhancing his personal private model picture. Zhou helps bridge the hole between Chinese language tradition and worldwide tendencies by showcasing a contemporary, trendy picture of Chinese language athletes to the world,” Meng stated.

On the subject of trend itself, Guanyu instructed WWD that he’s a danger taker and likes to strive new issues — whether or not it’s a brand new coiffure, garments or sneakers. “Streetwear model is what I like essentially the most and is what I’m most snug in.”

Whereas many athletes on the principle stage decide to work with a stylist by default, Guanyu stays true to himself by not working with one. He stated he’s continuously maintaining with the newest collections put out, notable tendencies after which outlets straight on-line. He cited Rick Owens and Kim Jones as his two main sartorial inspirations — with Chrome Hearts being his all-time favourite model.

“For the outfits I choose for Thursdays (media day) and strolling into the paddock, I don’t need to have a stylist deciding that,” Guanyu explains. “I’m going on-line, have a look at the newest collections and choose from it. I don’t need to find yourself compelled to put on one thing I don’t like. I don’t need to be compelled into another person’s trend sense.”

Opposite to Lewis Hamilton, who instructed WWD that he spends a number of time deciding on appears for the season along with his stylist Eric McNeal, Guanyu stated he doesn’t plan that far prematurely — oftentimes selecting his paddock trend perhaps a day or week out, at most. He typically appears at a mixture of the clothes he will get despatched by companions and in addition makes certain to test the placement’s local weather to evaluate what makes essentially the most sense.

“I don’t need to over exaggerate the style model,” Guanyu stated. “If it’s not related or what I’d put on in a sure temperature, then I don’t really feel prefer it is sensible. I need to present folks that they really can put on garments very casually like I do. I choose completely different kinds and colorways as a result of after I’m on the monitor I attempt to be slightly extra colourful than after I’m at house.”

Past seeing his mom within the trend trade, Guanyu mirrored on his youth, explaining that he’s been all for trend because the age of 13, with this curiosity following him right this moment. The Guanyu household left Shanghai for Sheffield, U.Ok., when he was simply 12 to jumpstart his motorsports profession.

The Affect of Trend in Method 1

Eliza Huber, senior trend editor at Who What Put on, has coated Method 1 and the broader affect of trend on sports activities extensively since 2022. On the subject of Guanyu’s private model, she stated that it has clearly been appreciated by the youthful Method 1 fan circles who’ve famous the rising presence of trend within the sport.

“It was a genius transfer for him to construct a status within the sport as one of the crucial trendy drivers, partnering with huge manufacturers straight out of the gate,” Huber stated. “Drivers, like athletes in so many different sports activities, have an expiration date — their our bodies simply can’t deal with it. They need to use their time within the highlight to construct a CV outdoors of the game to maintain their success getting in different areas.”

All through his time in Method 1, Guanyu cited Hamilton as somebody he admires, for his function within the present shift the broader trend trade is enjoying and for his asserting himself as a significant public determine. For a few years, Hamilton fought towards the unfair restrictions placed on drivers — together with protesting towards FIA race director’s Niels Wittich ban on drivers from sporting physique piercings or neck chains through the race.

“Lewis made a large affect for our sport,” Guanyu stated. “He made it extra broadly open. Up to now, it’s been extra in regards to the racing driver. Lewis actually confirmed individuals who he’s off monitor. And when he comes again, he’s purely centered on the job and being one of many biggest drivers ever.”

With the paddock now changing into the following pink carpet much like the NBA’s tunnel stroll, Guanyu stated that Method 1 had by no means been on that degree of cultural affect or affect earlier than Lewis. Utilizing trend, Guanyu exhibits off his character and who he’s as an individual outdoors of motorsports.

As a model ambassador for Lululemon in China and timed to the twentieth anniversary of the Chinese language Grand Prix this yr, Guanyu collaborated on a limited-edition assortment with the model together with clothes, bucket hats, baggage and extra.

Huber stated that trend has turn out to be a broadly interesting medium for athletes right this moment as a result of it offers “followers a glimpse of who [they] are off the courtroom or monitor.” Furthermore, garments are a nonverbal type of communication — very true for Method 1 drivers who’re coated from head to toe once they step into the race automotive.

“Paddock [out]matches assist followers get to know them in a manner they’ll relate to,” Huber defined. “The age-old saying ‘gown for the job you need’ applies right here. Whenever you placed on a fantastic outfit, you are feeling higher and extra assured — and in Method 1, confidence is paramount to success.” Whereas most fan won’t ever meet their favourite athletes, she stated followers can “study them by deciphering their outfits.”

Rashi Gaur of @hamazinglew is the primary account to showcase Hamilton’s trend on Instagram since 2018 and has seen the shift within the English driver’s affect firsthand. “Drivers have realized that you will need to present your character by way of trend as followers can relate to them extra once they’re capable of higher categorical themselves,” Gaur instructed WWD.

Regardless of her account being devoted to Hamilton, Gaur can typically be seen on her Instagram tales additionally rooting for Guanyu — “I all the time need to know what he’s sporting.” Gaur stated when Guanyu first stepped into the paddock along with his model Dior ambassadorship, he was the one driver on the grid working on an analogous degree to Hamilton.

“Zhou genuinely enjoys enjoying with trend,” Gaur stated. “I’ve seen him experimenting along with his model, from Rick Owens to Dior — he appears very dedicated to trying trendy as a lot as he can within the paddock. As a fan, it makes me joyful that drivers are normalizing displaying off their private model extra as a result of it has extra affect than they notice.”

In the meantime, a fan account devoted to decoding Guanyu’s model particularly is @zhouguanyu.closet, run by Alicia Warcollier and adopted by Guanyu. She first began documenting his model on Instagram in 2022 after seeing Gaur’s success with Hamilton. (Warcollier stated Gaur inspired her to start out her personal account.)

Warcollier stated she was drawn to Guanyu as a result of she noticed his “real love of trend” with a “extra genuine” method to different drivers. After seeing Guanyu attend a Prada trend present in 2022, she was hooked — paying attention to his model being a “mixture of cozy outfits with oversize hoodies, streetwear outfits and extra subtle outfits.”

On Nov. 6, Guanyu put out an announcement on social media that he would now not be racing for Sauber after this yr — “I can be leaving the Stake F1 Staff Kick Sauber on the finish of the 2024 season. I’m immensely proud to symbolize my nation as the primary Chinese language Method 1 driver. I hope that my racing continues to encourage others who’re following my story. I’m now discussing a variety of choices to remain within the Method 1 Paddock.”

Whereas discussing his future with WWD, he stated designing trend as a future endeavor is on the high of his listing. Whether or not a future as a trend and picture advisor in Method 1 or persevering with to point out off his sense of fashion in one other motorsport class, Guanyu’s pushing the envelope for paddock trend is bound to be a significant affect on subsequent yr’s roster of rookies coming into the grid for 2025 — particularly as Method 1 enters its subsequent chapter stuffed with trend sponsors, together with an unprecedented 10-year cope with LVMH, throughout the paddock.