The F1 legend turned pundit and adventure racer has collaborated with multi-sports brand Dare 2b.
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Leading multi-sports brand Dare 2b has announced that former Formula 1 champion Jenson Button is to be the new face of their upcoming AW20 menswear range, launching 30 September 2020.
Dare 2b have tapped Button to front their new men’s Autumn winter lifestyle, ski, active and mountain ranges dropping throughout the season.
The collection is designed for the ultimate outdoor adventurer, featuring technical outerwear jackets, essential base layers and winter accessories – created and inspired by pieces from Dare 2b’s archives.
Men’s Fitness caught up with Button to find out why Dare 2b was the perfect fit for him…
Jenson, what sets Dare 2b apart?
“It started last year. We were looking to work with someone in the adventure world, because I was doing the Baja 1000, which is an off-road race that’s the most insane event on the planet!
“It feels a little lawless, because you’re racing these big trophy trucks around Baja [the Baja California Peninsula]; at one point you’re driving along the coast and the next you’re driving past people’s front doors, then you’re going across farmland and the next you’re in the mountains.
“You’re driving through the night, jumping over eight-foot jumps and covering 800-1,000 miles in total. It’s madness!
“That was the biggest adventure of my life and I thought it would be cool to partner with a brand that’s all about the great outdoors.
“Dare 2b provided all our clothing for the race [the Baja 1000]. I have so many memories from that race and the kit was a big part of that.”
What are your picks from the new Lifestyle collection?
“I like the fit of all the Dare 2b range – it all fits me really well. When you put the kit on it’s like, ‘Ooh that feels nice!’
“When I first tried the Endless Jacket, we were up in a ski resort, I put it on and I thought, right, I am going to have to nick this! And I did manage to steal it from the photo shoot. That is the one jacket that travels the world with me, because it’s just so comfy.”
“There’s a range of clothing that suits every temperature and climate. I’ve done a lot of hikes that began at around 25°C and ended up at close to 0°C at the top of the mountain, and that’s when you need good-quality kit that can regulate your temperature.
“When you’re out for long days, you need something that’s going to keep you warm when you need it, but with enough breathability to prevent you from overheating, and the Dare 2b jackets do that perfectly.
“But kit aside, Dare 2b is just good fun to work with, which is really important to me. I want to work with good people who I share the same goals with, and that’s definitely the case.”
Since you retired from racing have you enjoyed being able to focus on your interests away from the track?
“I retired from F1 because I never really felt like I had a home – you’re doing 22 races a year and constantly travelling. So that was the main reason for walking away, but as soon as I walked away I was like, right, what am I going to drive?!
“I ended up choosing Super GT, which is a Japanese GT series. I raced there for a couple of years and managed to win the championship. But this year is the first year I haven’t raced anything – or even driven anything on a track.
“I miss it massively, but I will race again, it’s just a question of picking something that I think is going to be fun. I’d love to do Le Mans in future years, because a few regulation changes are coming in that should make it fun.
“Apart from racing, I’m just enjoying being home. I’m a very outdoorsy person, and I love getting out and exploring the local area [Button is based in LA].”
Jenson’s AW20 Lifestyle & Ski collection will drop on 30 September 2020. Prices range from £70 to £350. The next drop will be Active in December followed by Mountain in February. The collection will launch online at dare2b.com
