Gucci and Alpine: Kering’s Risky Gamble to Revive the Fashion Brand

Behind this announcement is Luca De Meo, former CEO of Renault (the manufacturer behind Alpine), now at the helm of Kering, Gucci’s parent company. The aim, by bringing together luxury and motoring, is to appeal to a global, young and ultra-premium clientele. In his view, F1 appears to be a formidable platform for Gucci’s brand image and a powerful tool for renewing the label’s identity. Whilst De Meo has played a major role in bringing the two companies together, this strategy has raised some eyebrows. De Meo had, in fact, shut down the Renault plant in Viry and its engine production line, which manufactured engines for F1, by switching the Alpine’s engine supply to Mercedes. The former CEO, however, continues to maintain significant ties with Renault and its executive team, his close friendship with Flavio Briatore, an executive advisor at Alpine, being a case in point.

Since Liberty Media acquired the F1 rights in 2017, the championship has taken on a whole new scale. The cumulative audience now exceeds 1.5 billion viewers annually, and the sport is attracting a younger, more female demographic, driven in part by the world of TV series such as ‘Drive to Survive’, broadcast on Netflix. Nearly 41% of F1 fans are now under 35, and women account for around 40% of the global fan base. For luxury houses, few platforms offer such a combination of desirability and media exposure.

The convergence of luxury and motorsport is nothing new. LVMH has signed a global partnership with F1 running until 2034 through TAG Heuer, Louis Vuitton and Moët & Chandon. Gucci, however, is taking it a step further: making F1 a strategic pillar of the brand.

The timing, however, casts doubt on the proposed strategy. In 2025, the Italian fashion house saw its turnover fall to around €6 billion, a 22% drop compared to 2024. The brand still accounts for nearly half of Kering’s turnover, whose market capitalisation has fallen to around €30 billion, a far cry from LVMH’s more than €240 billion. Demna’s appointment as creative director is intended to revive the brand’s appeal, but investors are primarily awaiting strategic clarity.

In this context, the partnership with Alpine appears to be as much a marketing move as a signal of cultural repositioning. Gucci is seeking to connect with a younger audience, to become a brand capable of appealing to a generation fascinated by speed, technology and entertainment.

The risks of this venture are, however, clear: Alpine is neither Ferrari nor Mercedes. Despite the support of the Renault Group, the French team remains an outsider, valued well below the major F1 franchises. Linking a brand that is losing momentum to a team still seeking legitimacy (Alpine had mediocre results in 2025) therefore carries a real reputational risk. If sporting and commercial results fail to materialise, the deal could seriously undermine the image of both brands. According to estimates, the agreement between Gucci and Alpine would represent an annual investment of between $55 million and $60 million.