Let’s not beat around the bush: when someone from the world of sport creates their own clothing label (naming no names), more often than not, it sucks.
Yet, when one does make it through the cracks and comes out the other side, they can actually be pretty good, and Sir Lewis Hamilton’s +44 brand looks to be falling firmly into that category.
Described as telling the story of “The Inner Race” – a state of mental, spiritual, and emotional alignment Hamilton believes to be required to achieve F1 greatness – +44 has triggered a wave of intrigue and interest from fans since its launch, and is now taking things up a notch.
Boarding the popular collaboration train as a part of its latest creative endeavour, +44 has teamed up with renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami for a collaboration which intends to bring the worlds of sport and design to one place.
“When I launched +44, I wanted to create bold, brave and transformative collections that made people feel the most authentic versions of themselves,” Hamilton tells Highsnobiety.
“There is no one I consider more suited to help me achieve this than Murakami. He has consistently been at the forefront of street culture for decades, famous for his unique designs which are instantly identifiable as his.”
Murakami – who featured in Highsnobiety's FRONTPAGE earlier this year – is renowned across the globe for his bold and colorful art composed using traditional Japanese painting techniques, contemporary art theories, and the visual lenses of anime and manga.
Lending this to Hamilton’s admiration for fashion and street-style art, the pair have created a collection inspired by the conceptual premise of “Psychedelic Speed Demon,” in which Murakami interpreted using his signature style atop various garments.
While the full collection and release information is yet to be revealed, it's said to comprise tees, hoodies, and a jacket, all of which adorning Murakami’s epochal visual tone, with dreamy twists to race-inspired graphics.
“He [Hamilton] is known for being a creative and inspirational force at everything he puts his hand to and his new creative lab +44 world is no different,” explained Murakami.
“We’ve worked together to make each piece reflective of our shared passion for the unique, psychedelic and a celebration of what makes us all different. Those who know Lewis can expect this collaboration to be a reflection of his unmatched talent.”
