On a Formula 1 track, collisions are always bad. Off-track, we’re seeing the worlds of fashion and racing collide more often than ever, and reaping the benefits. Nearly every driver has his own merch line, the world’s most coveted watch brands are developing rare F1-inspired pieces, and teams are realizing that the collaborations that elevated streetwear into a global phenomenon are there for the taking. Which explains how Michah Dowbak, better known as artist Mad Dog Jones, came to design a special collection with Puma and Mercedes AMG.
For the Mad Dog Jones x Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 x Puma collection, the Canadian-born Dowbak brought his "hyper-metropolitan" pop-art sensibility to a whole range of Puma pieces, from hats and slides to woven jackets and (of course) sneakers. It’s a riot of heat-map swirls and Miami-inflected pastels (which makes sense, since the collection debuted for that race), with Dowbak’s “MDJ” logo owning the spotlight. Some pieces have direct influence from Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, and you can see where their personal styles mixed with Dowbak’s. Overall, it’s a collection that pushes the average F1-inspired merch drop another step forward.
