When it comes to referencing speed with styling, no event is more fitting than the Formula 1 Grand Prix. This year in Vegas, the excitement in the high-stakes global event was as much on the track as on the carpets. Attendees pulled out all the stops, referencing their passion for the race and embracing the ambience of the high speed atmosphere. The standout theme? Leather. A-listers turned the pit lanes into a fashion runway, outfitted in bold leather ensembles— from sleek moto-inspired jackets to sultry leather jumpsuits, stars like Adele, Nina Dobrev, and Terry Crews channeled high-octane energy. Outerwear of every kind was rightfully front and center in the spotlight, with star-quality varieties worn across the board. Bombers emerged as a fan-favorite, exuding effortless cool with sporty styling and finishes in luxurious materials. Others opted for classic formalwear with flair, or otherwise stuck to their own personal “classics” in their signature styles. It was a masterclass in layering, color selection, pattern recognition, and living the moment to the fullest.
Leather Three Ways: Clean Jacket, As a Suit, and Over Racy
Nothing captures the allure of racing and its speed, sophistication, and airs of rebellion quite like leather does, and many attendees fell under its spell accordingly. Several draped themselves head to toe: Vampire Diaries actress Nina Dobrev with a monochrome 5-piece all black ensemble- tailored tube top, baggy trousers, jacket, bag, and pointed-toe shoes, Vocalist J. Rey Soul with a skin-tight matching co-ord zipped halfway, and car personality Emelia Hartford with her shining red jumpsuit. Adele accented her black turtleneck, leather gloves, pant, and kitten-heeled boots with a simple beige trench while some contrasted their black leather jacket and pants with mesh undershirts, like model Ashley Graham and basketball star Skylar Diggins-Smith.
Perfecto, Racing, Collared, Bomber… Leather Jackets, to Be Specific
When it comes to a piece so classic and universally beloved, the personality of every small detail expresses magnitudes in its effect. On the event grounds, some preferred the classic black moto like Guns N Roses lead vocalist Axl Rose while others preferred a more extravagant look, such as powerhouse vocalist John Legend and his sleek alligator moto. J Balvin wore a black leather jacket with exaggerated shoulders and a fur-lined hood while singer Johann Vera and model Matthew Noszka opted for more pared-down, relaxed versions, worn over a soft red knit (Vera) and grey sweatshirt (Noszka). Comedic personality Lele Pons showed off colorful, paint-stroke embroidery and runner Marcell Jacobs- leather jacket was a painted canvas for stylized font.
In addition to the overwhelming popularity of black leather, a warmer brown color palette was also present— internet personality Hannah Stocking layered a knee-length brown leather coat over a black vinyl latex minidress, for example. Actress Julia Schlaepfer looked radiant and cohesive in her brown leather pilot jacket, complete with fur appliques as matching appliques of brown leather rippled their pattern on her blue jeans. Actress Caylee Cowan matched hers with a flowing leather midi skirt and model Kristina Menissov complemented her cropped number with a pleated leather miniskirt. The charm of a racing jacket with white racing stripes was, of course, irresistible. Queen and icon Paris Hilton accessorized hers with her signature sunglasses, and tiktok star Allison Kuch paired hers with wide legged denim in faded grey and mesh black undershirt.
Staying True to the Classics Or— What’s Classic to You
The matching theme continued in a more classic direction with model Shanina Shaik’s fitted black leather pant and jacket over white race logo tee, internet personality Natalie Kuckenburg’s smart buttoned and cropped tweed jacket and miniskirt over tights, Brianna Lapaglia’s black cropped tweed suit, and Lewis hamilton’s chef-button grey suit from Day 2. Lewis’ Day 1 walk-out to qualifying was done in a sequined delight made by Tommy Hilfiger in cream and navy. Incidentally, Flavor Flav also wore a sequin baseball jacket, topped off with a “classic” of his own— a comically large, flooded clock on a chain around his neck. In stark contrast, Alexandre Grimaldi (Son of the Prince of Monaco), wore a white dress shirt and black dress pants, plus an overdyed but understated prada denim jacket. Afterall, what’s classic to Mr. Flav is understandably different from what’s classic to the common (and even uncommon) man. Gordon Ramsey’s “classic” was this same floorplan: white shirt, black jacket, black pants— albeit with black sneakers instead of Grimaldi’s black dress shoes. Paul Mescal’s earthy cargo jacket with upturned collar was similarly styled, with light wash denim and a plain white tee shirt.
Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s understated look was all in the fabric selection: a muted tan suede carried through his collared shirt and his paler shoes. Luka Sabbat was monochrome and understated, layering black denim washes while Jenny Mcarthy opted for subtle texture with her black-on-black LV monogram bomber and pants. The bomber jacket carried almost as much possibility as leather, appearing in an inspiring range of flavors: serenely minimal on Irish actor Patrick Gibson, vintage and chain-stitch embroidered on american actor Brandon Sklenar, and slightly decorated with a leather sleeve on Sylvester Stallone (who has donned a more formal suit, also in a royal blue tone the day prior, accompanied by his family). For more traditional menswear, Jenson Button cheered on his underclassmen with a velvet dinner jacket while George Russel looked smart in a pinstripe, double breasted suit and sunglasses.
Adding Personal Flair In Color: the Sporty, the Streetwear, and the Fur
In a more leisurely fashion, basketball star Chris Brickley and actress Liza Soberano both wore full Puma while Canadian personality Josh Richards was outfitted in full Off-White and one of the Oppenheim brothers (of Netflix’s Selling Sunset) proudly repped Supreme. Ludacris matched his shirt with his shoes in a nostalgic graphic explosion of orange and aquamarine while Snoop Dogg’s color palette of red, yellow, and black was more geometrically color blocked. Jared Leto wore Fur jackets both Day 1 and Day 2, one white and one black, always with his stylish sunglasses. Rapper Hit-Boy’s furry jacket was in a soft, pistachio-foam mint while sculptor Richard Orlinski’s was in an inviting gray.
American songwriter Coco Jones’ simple white tank and miniskirt was punctuated with a pink waistband that echoed in her footwear for a fun touch of color, and pop sensation Lisa (of kpop group BlackPink) accented her oversized black blazer and denim with an eye catching orange, tied at the neck and peeking out from the sleeves. Olympic Athlete Junelle Bromfiled chose to highlight her multi-colored tennis necklace with her painfully chic black monochrome outfit and accompanying her was the other half of this olympic couple, Noah Lyles wearing a silken, retro-patterned pants, top, and scarf— he would don a black-and-white outfit the next day.
For Maximum Effect, A Matching Suit
American fencer Miles Chamley-Watson made a colorful statement with an oversized orange houndstooth zip jacket and drawstring pants. Casual while establishing a strong visual, his style and approach was undeniably cool. Steve Aoki’s jumpsuit, adorned with strips of black patches in punk fashion evoked playful vibes when paired with neon striped shoes. Similarly, TV personality Scott Evans served a full look in head-to-toe denim. Like Britney and Justin in 2001, the presentation was simple and effective, consisting of a two-toned denim trench coat, matching two-toned jeans, denim boots, and a trompe l’oeil mock neck with resplendent blue patterning. Renowned model Winnie Harlow also wore full denim on Day 2— checkered denim jeans and monogrammed Louis Vuitton bomber jacket with abstract patchwork. Day 1 was a strong entry of swirling black linework over tan vest and pants, with strategic cutouts that were outlined with fringe. Over the top was a clean baseball jacket in latte cream.
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