At this weekend's Nascar Monster Energy Cup Series Pocono 400, it was hard not to notice that all the guys working on the track, from the drivers to the pit crews, looked awesome. But it wasn't awesome in the way that most men in job-specific gear (construction workers, motorcycle cops in Singapore, Batman) look awesome, it was awesome in the way in-the-know menswear editors might look in Fashion Week street-style snaps. There were the allover-logo jackets, side-stripe trousers, and primary-color combinations that we'd just as easily expect to see pop up on a Versace runway and in line with a slew of menswear trends we've been closely watching (one of Nascar's most iconic symbols—the checkered flag—is already this summer's essential pattern). All of which made us realize: Nascar is the new go-to inspiration source in menswear.

Fashion designers turning to the world of sports for inspiration is hardly a new concept. Geoffrey Beene's sequined jersey dresses from the late ’60s were an homage to football uniforms (as were Tom Ford's riffs on them in 2014). Former Givenchy designer Riccardo Tisci often took inspiration from basketball silhouettes and motifs for his menswear collections. Skateboarding staples are everywhere in 2017, and athleisure—the ultimate trickle down of professional performance wear—is still holding strong. And Nascar is jam-packed with the kinds of things fashion designers can riff on for years—and have been already.

Last year, traditional workwear brands like Carhartt, Dickies, and Rothco—standard menswear fare for mechanics, technicians, and team members behind the scenes, as well as fans of racing—became ubiquitous among fashion's influential crowds. Soon high-end versions of straight-leg twill chinos were sitting on the racks at Barneys and some of the most stylish guys we know were calling Walmart their favorite men's store. Now the trend seems to be designers turning their gaze toward the main event on race day: the drivers and their teams.

Supreme x Vanson leather jacket

In the past two years, cult-favorite brands Supreme and Palace served up their versions of a racing jacket—in Supreme's case via an official collaboration with Wise chips, and in Palace's, a faux racing-team logo of their own. Additionally, for Spring-Summer 2017, Supreme released a leather racing jacket made in collaboration with Vanson that wouldn't be out of place, at least aesthetically speaking, in the pit box at any Nascar race. The highly influential French label Vetements released a four-figure red-and-white leather jacket that plays on colorblocked racing styles from when drivers actually wore leather (instead of lightweight, heat-resistant fibers that will actually keep them alive). Across the menswear industry, side-stripe trousers, whether from Adidas or Gucci, have become the easiest way to flex one's in-the-know style. (And speaking of Gucci, it's the red-hot label that, thanks to its pattern- and embroidery-loving designer, Alessandro Michele, has made "more is more" the design movement of the moment.)

But Nascar gear is built for practicality. Each team needs a bold color scheme to differentiate itself from around 40 other teams racing that week. The racing suits aren't just places to make ad dollars—they're designed to keep drivers safe in the event of a fire or crash, as are their shoes and helmets, and it doesn't get more pragmatic than that. And maybe that's why the pieces are being twisted and subverted by some of the most talented people in the fashion game. After all, it's more fun to turn something banal into a coveted luxury item (Balenciaga Ikea bags, anyone?) than it is to continually produce wearable, but potentially boring, clothing.

Ultimately, fashion is constantly looking for new touchstones to create that genuine feeling of culture and style. (It's why rock 'n' roll and sports have long been some of fashion's biggest inspirations for both men and women.) When it comes to Nascar, the bold color schemes and logos feel genuine, authentic, and fresh because of their anti-design look, something brands like Vetements have capitalized on since their inception. We're living in an age when everything bad is good (see: big suits and dirty/chunky sneakers), and right now it's Nascar's turn to represent the worst—and thus the best—fashion has to offer.

Maison Margiela pants.

Thom Browne polo.

Vetements jacket

Denim and supply jacket

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