In the paddock at the Shanghai International Circuit, amid the roar of engines and the flash of cameras, Alexandra Leclerc’s blue cheongsam told a quieter story yet spoke volumes. Her custom look, crafted by global Chinese fashion brand SAU LEE, became one of the most talked-about moments of the 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix weekend, not for its spectacle alone, but for what it represented: a genuine appreciation for local design and cultural storytelling through fashion.

“Whenever I travel, I love discovering designers from the place I’m visiting. It makes getting dressed feel more connected to where you are,” Leclerc explains. “When I first wore SAU LEE in Shanghai last year, it felt like such a natural fit, and I’ve really enjoyed seeing how the brand has evolved since.”

For Leclerc, an art curator, this connection ran deeper than surface aesthetics. “Chinese art was actually a big part of my studies, especially through the collections at the Musée Guimet in Paris. I’ve always been very drawn to Chinese porcelain and vases—there’s something so refined about them.” This appreciation even influenced her boyfriend’s helmet design last year, when she sent him “the inspiration of a traditional Chinese vase decorated with dragons. They reinterpreted it and replaced the dragon with a snake since it was the Year of the Snake.”

This year, SAU LEE’s custom creation took the cultural dialogue even further. “I always enjoy adding a small wink to the racing world in my outfits. For this piece, I asked them to include a few iconic quotes from the founder of Ferrari, written in Chinese,” Leclerc reveals. The dress is adorned with Enzo Ferrari’s philosophical musings—phrases like “Let a child draw a car, and he will definitely draw it red” and “You can’t describe passion, you can only live it”—translated into Chinese characters that flowed across the fabric.

“I like when clothing tells a story, especially during race weekends,” Leclerc shares. SAU LEE’s founder and creative director, Cheryl Leung, immediately embraced the concept: “When she mentioned incorporating quotes from Enzo Ferrari translated into Chinese, we loved the idea immediately because it felt like a poetic meeting of cultures.” She continues, “From there, we focused on creating a silhouette that felt modern and effortless while allowing those details to exist almost like hidden storytelling within the garment. At SAU LEE, we often think about clothing as something that carries meaning — not just visually, but emotionally.”

“One detail I really love is the pankou buttons,” Leclerc shares. Leung explains their significance: “They’re a small but very symbolic feature of the cheongsam. At SAU LEE, we often reinterpret these heritage elements in a way that feels contemporary. They’re subtle details, but they carry centuries of craftsmanship and design history. I always enjoy when those quieter elements become the things people notice later.”

Leung continues, “What I find inspiring about working with [Alexandra] is that she approaches fashion with curiosity. She enjoys discovering cultural references and translating them into something personal, which makes the collaboration feel very natural.”

“With Alexandra, I hope people see that these elements can exist naturally within contemporary fashion. They’re not costumes or historical references — they’re living design codes that can evolve with the modern woman.”