Y-3 and F1 Awaken the Wolf
Presenting Y-3 x Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS.
It’s known that Yohji Yamamoto has a bit of a thing for cars. In the past he’s dabbled in supercar collabs, and in a well-loved short film he’s waxed nostalgic about his daily driver, comparing his own car to a girlfriend where the relationship is equal parts about appreciating what you have and developing a real bond that matures over time.
Now, Yamamoto’s Y-3 is taking that enthusiasm to the grid with a partnership with the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 team. The accompanying campaign features drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, but also includes a surprise appearance from F1 legend Toto Wolff, the team’s CEO. The visuals convey the dynamic partnership in way that reflects what make F1 beautiful—the striking moments of calm during the constant chaos of a Grand Prix.
The collection brings back a striking Wolf motif, inspired by Japanese mythology and originally from adidas’ F50 Tunit cleats from 2006. Representing a mythical guardian in the animal kingdom who symbolizes speed, instinct, and bravery, here it also doubles as a sly nod to the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS drivers and the man leading them.
Sticking to Yamamoto’s signature black-and-white color palette, the capsule collection also features a print inspired by smoke billowing from the team’s race cars and other graphic iterations of the wolf, toeing the line between racing gear, football kits, and the unique relationship between Yamamoto and adidas. Further, the collection will be on full display on the grid when it gets worn at the legendary Suzuka circuit during the Japanese Grand Prix later this month.
Wolff recently discussed the partnership in an interview with GQ, speaking to the ways in which the German sportswear giant has at least more than a few things in common with the well-oiled machine that a successful F1 team has to be.
“I think the collection captures both sides of who we are. It feels modern but also refined—there is a simplicity and sharpness that mirrors the way we operate as a team,” says Wolff to GQ. “There’s an energy that comes from being connected to a brand with such a strong identity, and it has translated into a renewed confidence around the paddock and, most importantly, onto the racetrack.”
Funnily enough, Wolff even downplays the coincidence between the prominent Wolf graphic in the collection and his own last name. Pointing out the reference to the 2006 F50 Tunit while nothing that “the jacket is very stylish though and embodies exactly who we are as a team.”
He does add that Mercedes-AMG Petronas is in good company, noting that Y-3 has only collaborated with two other global sports teams in the past: the Japanese national football team and Real Madrid. Being the only F1 team to work with the brand and the iconic designer behind it certainly puts them in great company.
Rounding out the capsule collection is a series of driving sneakers, completing the look from head-to-toe. The Y-3 x Mercedes-AMG Petronas collection arrives on March 19.