Fay rediscovers ties with the world of classic cars (and more)

You don't have to be a driving enthusiast (this writer doesn't even have a driving licence) to perceive the fascination of classic cars, the most ingeniously human - and beautiful - thing that can still be seen in a sector that some imagine will soon be dominated by self-driving cars or even flying cars, with robot pilots. Fascination that for some turns into collecting and that leads them to participate in rallies and races, such as the 1000 Miglia, whose 2025 edition started, by tradition, from Brescia last Monday and will end tomorrow.

Perhaps it is no coincidence that tonight at the Pac (Pavilion of Contemporary Art) in Milan a Fay collection will be presented, the one for spring-summer 2026, partly inspired by the world of the "gentleman driver" and which looks, with a hint of nostalgia given the rampant inelegance of our times, at the atmospheres that were breathed in the paddock of motor racing in the 1960s and 1970s. A special feature of the evening will be the presentation of the Racing Jacket born from the collaboration between Fay and Ronnie Kessel, Swiss driver and entrepreneur. "Ronnie is also the son of art: his father Loris made it all the way to Formula One and to create the Racing Jacket we consulted the family archives, with precious images in which Loris Kessel is often portrayed in the company of Clay Regazzoni or James Hunt, which perhaps some people associate with the film Rush, which recounted the English driver's rivalry with Niki Laura," says Michele Lupi, head of special men's projects for the Tod's group, of which Fay is part. The jacket is certainly special, not because of the price, just under a thousand euro, almost unbelievable given the explosion in the price lists of other high-end brands. However, it is an 'ultra' limited edition: only 70 pieces have been produced, which will go on sale online at midnight today.

Kessel reconciles the soul of a racing driver with that of an entrepreneur: he is taking part in the Alfa Revival Cup - the championship dedicated to Alfa Romeo racing cars produced between 1947 and 1981 -, which began in April and of which, to give an idea of who the co-creator of the Fay jacket is - he won Round 2 on 19 May at the Vallelunga circuit. While waiting for the final round of the Alfa Revival Cup in September, the Swiss entrepreneur is enjoying his foray into fashion.

"It is a great privilege to work four-handedly again on a project with Fay, after the 2022 project, when we tackled the crossing of the whole of South America, from Lima to Cape Horn," explains Kessel, who confirms the research work on the racing archives and thanks Diego and Andrea Della Valle for this second chapter of the collaboration with Fay and the Tod's Group. "The colour of this jacket is strongly inspired by the suits of the 1970s, when a completely fireproof fabric had not yet been developed and drivers used jeans or similar fabrics to protect themselves," adds Kessel. Absolutely contemporary is the 'hook' key ring, a recurring detail in Fay products, which in the case of the Racing Jacket is not only an aesthetic element, but also a functional one.

Ronnie Kessel, born in 1987, is still young, especially by Italian standards, but has a very long experience: he has been running the company founded by his father in 1976 since 2010, when Loris Kessel died, aged just 60, and started professional racing as soon as he came of age.