18 August 2026 10:00 (UTC)
12 looks inspired by six decades of McLaren history: Your guide to our first-ever fashion show
It's been announced that in September we’ll host our first-ever fashion show, and you might be wondering: what are McLaren, a motor racing team, doing hosting a fashion show?
Formula 1 and fashion have never been more closely intertwined. Driver arrivals on a Thursday have become one of the most anticipated moments of race week, with fans eager to see what each driver is wearing, while the grid now regularly dominates the covers of top fashion magazines, from Vogue and GQ to Esquire.
This shift has inspired a new wave of motorsport style, from the resurgence of racing jackets, graphic tees and PUMA’s Speedcats to dedicated streetwear and smart-casual collections from REISS. Grand Prix-inspired looks have even made their mark on the runway, featuring at both Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks.
Designed to Race: Front Row marks McLaren’s next step into fashion, bringing our racing heritage to life through original designs created for the runway. Here’s what to expect.
Over the next month, Designed to Race: Front Row will see us explore the relationship between racing, design, and culture, and the increasing influence that F1 and fashion have on one another, culminating in our first-ever fashion show, hosted at the McLaren Technology Centre.
Twelve original runway looks will debut at the show, created by students from Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London, and inspired by six decades of McLaren racing heritage.
Forty-six emerging creatives from Central Saint Martins were selected to lead the project and split into 12 groups, each commissioned to create a full outfit for the show.
Each group was assigned one of five McLaren Racing eras, from the 1970s to the 2020s. How they interpreted the era was up to them, whether they focused on the legendary drivers and their distinct personalities, like James Hunt and Ayrton Senna, the iconic cars and engineering behind them, or the culture of F1 during the period, such as the exploding fandom of the 2020s.
The 46 students work across a range of disciplines and come from diverse backgrounds, with some specialising in menswear and womenswear and others in a particular style, ideology or technique.
Thanks to our friends at Dell Technologies, each student received a new XPS laptop to research, design, and develop their pieces from idea to reality.
For this project, we split our history into five distinct periods spanning from the 1970s to the 2020s.
Two groups covered the ‘70s (Grit and Glamour), a period of rebellion, charisma, and effortless style. Another two tackled the ‘80s (Precision and Power), defined by technical innovation in both the cars and what the drivers wore in them. Two focused on the ‘90s (Global Icon), when driver stardom skyrocketed. A further two took on the 2000s and 2010s (Engineering Athlete), marked by celebrity culture, futurism, and global reach. Finally, four groups worked on the ‘20s (The Papaya Era), a decade shaped by supporters, sustainability, and social media.
For one night only, the McLaren Technology Centre will be transformed into an extraordinary runway, bringing together historic racing memorabilia and bespoke pieces created specifically for Designed to Race: Front Row.
Taking place on Wednesday, 16 September, ahead of London Fashion Week, all 12 designs will take to the runway.
Four lucky fans will get the chance to be among the select few there in person and watch as we unveil the McLaren-inspired pieces live. We’re giving two pairs of tickets away to McLaren Racing Club members. Enter now for your chance to experience Designed to Race: Front Row in person.
