Lawrence Stroll's path to Formula 1 started in fashion

Chronologising the Aston Martin part-owner's career from fashion licensing to F1.

Lawrence Stroll is now best known as the public face of the Aston Martin Formula One team, a role made all the more visible by the presence of his son, Lance Stroll, behind the wheel. On paper, he might appear to be just like all the other billionaires active within the sport: high profile, ambiguous, and eerily reminiscent of a James Bond villain, as Drive to Survive likes to portray.

But Stroll’s origin story doesn’t begin in motorsport or even finance. It begins in fashion.

Lawrence Stroll with his son, Lance. Via Aston Martin

Growing up in Montreal, Stroll was immersed in the industry from an early age. His father, Leo Strulovitch, was a fashion importer at a time when European style dictated global taste. You can picture the bustling port of Montreal, with tubs and racks of clothing arriving from Paris, Milan, and London. One designer in particular captured Strulovitch’s attention: Pierre Cardin.