There are talks that it’s time for Africa to be part of the F1 calendar. And it is all connected to the sport’s most successful driver, Lewis Hamilton. From South Africa to Rwanda, the suitors for F1’a return are multiple. The 1993 South African GP at Kyalami was the last time Formula 1 visited the African continent. For the past three decades, the F1 calendar has remained shy of a race in Africa. Lewis Hamilton has publicly expressed their desire to drive on African soil. Keeping in mind the wish and vocal desire of the sport’s most successful athlete, the organizers might consider including the country. But before we begin daydreaming about F1’s African return, let us understand that Lewis Hamilton’s latest and nth-numbered visit to Africa may give birth to another creative venture.
Lewis Hamilton once again chose Africa for a vacation
Lewis Hamilton once again returned to Africa to trace his forebears and roots. This time, the Merćedes driver found his way to Benin, a West African country. Interestingly, he was hosted by The Royal Family of Abomey, aka, the bloodline of the Dahomey Kingdom. Lewis completed his trip to the birthplace of the Vodun religion, and he was recently spotted on Bazaruto Island, Mozambique. The 7x champion found his ancestral roots in this culturally rich country and has always had the desire to visit it.
But if we come to think of it, this trip might be more than what meets the eye. Hamilton, who is an extremely talented man off track as well, is known to draw inspiration from culturally rich centers like Africa. What if I were to tell you that a Dior 2.0 kind of collection might be waiting to come out soon? Though we don’t have any concrete information from the horse’s mouth, we have put two and two together. Here is the last piece of the puzzle.
Lewis Hamilton had designed an Africa-inspired collection for Dior
To understand why the Benin visit can pave the way for a creative ‘outburst’, we need to understand what happened a few months ago. Dior had announced that the 7x champion Lewis Hamilton was stepping into the fashion world as both ambassador and guest designer for an exclusive lifestyle capsule collection. It is understood that the collaboration brings together Hamilton’s dynamic spirit and Dior’s storied craftsmanship.
Kim Jones, Dior’s Artistic Director, said, “We share a love of nature, a desire to celebrate Africa, and an interest in the artisanal processes and techniques that unite craftspeople in Africa with the savoir-faire of the Dior ateliers. Added to that, this collection also reflects Lewis’ sporting side, his virtuosity, and our functionality. All in all, the way things came together happened very organically—and enjoyably.”
Hamilton, who was thrilled about the collaboration, said, “Working with Kim and the talented team at Dior has been a dream, and I was honored when Kim asked if I’d like to do this with him. Our values and ideas are aligned, making it easy to bring to life a creative collection infused with our shared experiences. Focusing on conscious choices and pushing boundaries with each piece, while merging inspiration from my roots in Africa—drawing from their fabrics and belief in natural materials, as well as vibrant colors and powerful energy—has been so inspiring. I hope people everywhere feel good in these garments we designed so carefully.”
Considering Lewis’ first collection with Dior was inspired by his African roots, one can understand that his finding yet another place in the quest of tracing back his roots can lead to yet another creative expression in his first love outside the track, i.e. fashion.