19 March 2026 17:00 (UTC)
Behind the design: How McLaren Racing and PUMA’s first collection was created
Read time: 4 minutes
Design is a hard-working word in motorsport. It features in the job titles of many, very different roles, encompassing the engineering minds who shape the car’s physical design and each individual nut and bolt, to the creatives crafting its livery, defining our brand’s look and feel, and developing our official merchandise.
Each is running their own race, measured not in lap times but in ideas and impact, competing with their counterparts across the grid. For those who have been working across the new PUMA X McLaren Racing collaboration, it’s the race to create sport’s next iconic collection.
The continued rise of racing-inspired fashion gives those behind the collaborations the creative freedom to express themselves in new and unexpected ways, as the sport moves beyond traditional merchandise and embraces more considered, fashion-led pieces.
PUMA has a history of doing exactly that. The German sportswear brand – creator of some of the most recognisable trainers on the market, including the Speedcat, Palermo and Suede - has been shaping sport and style since 1948. Across nearly 80 years, it has continually reinvented itself while remaining true to its roots.
McLaren have done it before, too, evolving from red and white to silver, chrome and now papaya. Each era distinct but unmistakably McLaren.
Striking that balance is a real challenge. Achieving one is relatively straightforward, but heritage without evolution can hold a brand back, while reinvention without retaining the foundations risks its identity. Accomplishing that became the brief for McLaren and PUMA’s first collaboration.
“We stayed true to McLaren Racing’s branding and racing identity but challenged it through a new overall design aesthetic: refining proportions, visual balance, and execution rather than simply adding more logos,” says Edda Meyer, PUMA’s Director of Design, Motorsport Apparel.
Lou McEwen, McLaren Racing’s Chief Marketing Officer, adds: “PUMA encouraged us to look at our visual identity through a new lens. While McLaren Racing’s instinct is precision and performance, PUMA pushed for a bolder, more expressive interpretation, one that could live on the street as confidently as it does on the grid. This meant amplifying signature elements in unexpected ways.”
Announced in January 2026, McLaren and PUMA’s partnership brought together two of the most influential names in sport, uniting the passionate fanbase of McLaren Racing with those for whom PUMA is their go-to brand. Motorsport has always thrived on tribal loyalty - and increasingly, so too does sportswear.
“With the 2026 season arriving and McLaren Racing showing strong performance on and off the track, it was clear to us that we wanted to partner with them,” says Gregor Huebner, Head of Sports Marketing Motorsport & Racewear at PUMA. “McLaren Racing has a strong tradition and heritage in motorsport and a unique brand identity. In addition, they have a young and talented driver lineup, which attracts fans all over the world.”
Lou adds: “We’re both high-performance brands that thrive at the intersection of innovation, culture, and community, so the partnership felt like a natural move. PUMA combines deep motorsport credibility with a progressive design approach, while McLaren Racing brings its rich heritage and a globally engaged fanbase, creating a partnership rooted in authenticity and innovation.”
The world of Formula 1 isn’t new to PUMA. The brand has worked with teams and drivers since the mid 1980s, when it first branched out into producing racing boots. PUMA’s involvement has gradually increased in the decades since, culminating in the release of the now-iconic PUMA Speedcat in 2001, the same year PUMA announced its first official F1 partnership with the Jordan team.
Inspired by their traditional high-cut, fireproof Formula 1 racing boots, the PUMA Speedcat was designed to merge motorsport performance with streetwear appeal, bringing Formula 1 footwear into the mainstream, with a less technical, low-cut everyday design.
Despite decades of history on both sides, the idea of a McLaren Racing X PUMA partnership felt fresh. Challenged to reflect that energy in the first collection, PUMA’s design team were given the creative freedom to push boundaries, so long as they respected the core identities of both brands.
“With McLaren Racing, the fact that it was a new beginning gave us a lot of creative freedom,” says Stefano Favaro, Senior Director of Design at PUMA Motorsport. “While there is a strong and inspiring history, the design direction felt far less restricted. This allowed us to explore bolder graphics, more experimental silhouettes, and a more playful, fashion-forward attitude.”
Edda adds: “From the start, McLaren Racing’s core branding codes were untouchable, especially papaya, the speedmark graphic language, and the typography. These elements are essential to McLaren Racing’s identity and were never challenged.
“We explored more innovative materials, modern constructions, and contemporary fashion details, translating traditional racing codes into a more progressive, lifestyle-driven expression without compromising the core brand DNA.”
Following the initial research and design phase, PUMA presented their vision to McLaren, outlining what they believed would and wouldn’t work, drawing on their prior motorsport experience and broader sporting expertise. Collaboration would be essential, everyone agreed - the collection couldn’t simply reflect PUMA’s interpretation of McLaren, it needed to feel authentic to our culture.
Stefano adds: “What really made it work was the teamwork.”
The result is pure McLaren, but viewed through a PUMA lens, and the products translate effortlessly from the paddock to everyday life.
“It feels unmistakably McLaren Racing and refreshingly modern,” Lou says. “It honours our heritage papaya, while embracing fashion-forward design language.”
Edda adds: “It was important that these pieces stand on their own, even without the context of motorsport.
“Beyond its heritage, it feels very current: energetic, bold, and highly recognisable, which aligns perfectly with both fashion and tech. We used papaya strategically to create instant recognition and inject youth and energy, balancing it with more neutral tones and refined executions so it feels confident rather than overpowering.”
The PUMA X McLaren Racing collections are available online on the McLaren Racing and PUMA stores, and in person in PUMA stores.
