The Woman Behind Oracle Red Bull Racing by Pepe Jeans with Alice Menahem | FanAmp Fast Lane

Before we get started, check out the Oracle Red Bull Racing by Pepe Jeans collections! Women's Collection & Men's Collection

Getting her start in Motorsports

#1. What was the first moment that you can remember discovering motorsports?

 I was always watching my dad go-kart when I was a child. He picked up the hobby in his twenties, so quite late. We used to go to this little track outside of my grandparents' house in France. I just remember that noise and the smell of the fuel. Over time he competed in various categories as well.

He actually raced with Daniel Ricciardo in Formula Renault way back when... I guess Daniel was like 12 or 13 - something like that. He also drove the 24 hours of Le Mans one year, which was a super fun weekend. Obviously F1, on Sundays, in the house was a ritual, so it was always in the background for a very long time.

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#2. When did you decide that you wanted to work within motorsports? 

I actually never thought that it would be my job.

I originally studied law and fashion, and I worked in the fashion industry my entire career. It was pure coincidence, really, that I got to merge my personal interests with work!

When Pepe Jeans renewed their partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing last year, is how this really started.

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Alice's Current Role

#3. What was your first role within the industry and the first step you took towards this role?

 Towards this specific role, it was really just jumping on the opportunity when this partnership started.

I basically raised my hand when the role was presented to me and said "this is for me". It was very very good timing. It's just the perfect role for me that really appeared out of nowhere!

Author's Note: Alice has been at AWWG, which is the parent brand of Pepe Jeans, since 2019. She worked for the Hackett's brand before 'raising her hand' and moving over to the Oracle Red Bull Racing by Pepe Jeans opportunity!

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#4. What does a standard day look like for you - in the Pepe Jeans office and when traveling to F1 races?

 It really depends, right? If it's an office day, or if it's a track day during a race weekend.

In-Office

On in-office days, my focus is ensuring that all the marketing plans across our channels are on schedule. This includes everything from social media campaigns and newsletters to wholesale popups, influencer dressing, content planning, and in-store events.

I also coordinate daily with the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. We align on communications in VIP hospitality. We may have Paddock Club activations coming up that we do at select races and asset creation with the drivers as well. That's generally how it goes in the office.

At Track

At track, it's mostly about giving our guests the best experience possible during the race weekend. That's everything from making sure that they get to enjoy pit lane walks and garage tours, and sometimes even hot laps with Ford. I also have meetings with the Oracle Red Bull Racing team that rotate staff between the races.

Not everybody goes to every race. That would be too much. The team's hospitality in the paddock basically becomes their office away from home, so we also use that.

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‍#5. What are the most rewarding and the most challenging parts of working and traveling on behalf of the brand?

Rewarding

 I should have checked how everybody else answered this question. I'm sure we have a lot of similar 'rewards' in this part.

I would say for me, the most rewarding is definitely, somehow being part of the absolute best traveling circus in the world and all the excitement that goes with it.

Difficult

It is exhausting.

You're away for so many weekends, it's not just travel for work during the week, similar to a lot of jobs. This is your weekend. You do have to sacrifice a lot of your personal life. I've missed birthday parties, including my own - which always falls during Austin - weddings, holidays, etc... but it's part of the deal.

You're just not home anymore.

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#6. What are the top 3 qualities that have helped you succeed?

 So I've actually thought a bit about that one. I would say:

• Passion - You need that or you don't survive something that requires so much, again, of your personal time and energy.
• Resilience.
• Ability to build strong connections - THIS is the most important one.

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Alice's Advice

#7. If you could go back and change anything about your path to where you are today, what would that be? 

 Honestly, I don't think I would change anything.

Even my brief time in law taught me to think in a structured way and to anticipate problems, and that's always helpful in any field.

So, yeah, I wouldn't change anything.

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#8. If you could give one piece of advice to someone looking to follow in your footsteps what would that be?

  I would say, don't stress about landing your dream job immediately.

I hear from so many young women that they're desperate to work in F1 and are worried about making the wrong career move. The truth is, there's countless ways to get there.

So I say just focus on being the best at what you do wherever you are and the opportunities will come.

Especially when they imagine that they're going to be traveling with the team from the start - it's not realistic - you have to work your way there... and that's okay!

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Alice's Favorites

#9. What is your favorite race/ event/ moment that you’ve had in your career thus-far?

That's a really tough moment to pin down because there are so many... so many.

I would say it's a tie between our F1 Academy Driver, Alicia's first win at the opening race of the season. I was watching with her team in the garage in Shanghai last week. That was REALLY special.

It's between that and probably getting drenched by Champagne by Max last year. That was fun as well!

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#10. The intersection of sports and fashion has grown stronger and stronger over the past few years - especially in F1. You have prioritized working with fans and content creators as part of the Pepe Jeans and Oracle Red Bull Racing partnership. Why do you think that working with fans is so key to the brand?

 I think in the past few years, Formula 1 has really changed and transcended the track. It's become this sort of lifestyle and cultural phenomenon for all of the various reasons that we know. I think between that and the rise, of course, of digital content and social media- I'm thinking of TikTok in particular - platforms.

We're in a space now where fans are not just spectators anymore. They're creators. They're storytellers. They're ambassadors for the sport that bring it to life in very new exciting ways that just didn't exist before.

So, for us, I think working with fans and content creators is essential because it's the heartbeat of the community.

You have the special kind of passion, creativity, unique perspectives, and angles that various creators have that allow us to then connect with audiences in a way that's authentic and engaging. Collaborating with you guys... We're not just showcasing our partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing... We're making it relevant.

We're trying to make it relevant and accessible to a wider audience. I think fashion in particular is about expression, identity, and belonging to a community. You have a lot of similarities with F1 in terms of that.

Whether it's a fan styling their race day outfit, or a content creator that's bringing you behind the scenes, it's about, community coming together to celebrate your favorite team. Hopefully ours, but it doesn't have to be!

You can make the red work for anything for example!

I think these kinds of connections are what make the partnership meaningful. So, at the end of the day, it's about creating an experience that feels personal and inclusive.

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Want to learn more about the intersection of fashion and F1 and working across many motorsports series? Then check out all of our Fast Lane interviews, or jump right into one of these:

• Diversity in Motorsports with Maia Rowe Sampson
• F1 Journalism with Emily Selleck