24h Le Mans
As a winning driver, visionary car builder and successful racing team boss, Carroll Shelby left an indelible mark on the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His unique heritage lives on today through an exclusive collection of garments and leather goods. A tribute to one of the most charismatic figures in motorsport.
Carroll Shelby enjoyed a successful, multifaceted career at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, including his 1959 victory with Aston Martin and the period of domination with Ford in the mid-sixties. To celebrate this outstanding heritage, a collection of quality garments and leather goods have been designed for fans eager to sport a fragment of the Texan’s history at the French endurance classic.
Born on 11 January 1923 in Leesburg, Texas, Shelby was hardly predestined to become one of the greatest figures in world motorsport. After serving as a US Air Force instructor and test pilot in the Second World War, he made his living from rearing chickens before discovering motor racing in MGs.
Shelby’s Le Mans story is a unique trilogy, the first part of which sees him behind the wheel. He made his Le Mans 24 Hours début in 1954, teaming up with Paul Frère in an Aston Martin DB3S entered by David Brown on behalf of the British manufacturer. Their race came to a premature end, but the Texan returned five years later to make history.
On 21 June 1959, Shelby scooped the honours with British driver Roy Salvadori at the wheel of the iconic Aston Martin DBR1. This victory is still Aston Martin’s only outright Le Mans win. His slender frame and striped dungarees became a familiar sight in the pits, while team manager Reg Parnell directed operations with a megaphone.
A few months after this success, Shelby hung up his driver’s helmet to embark on a new venture when he founded Shelby-American Inc.
With a chassis supplied by the British manufacturer AC Cars and an engine from the Ford Motor Company, he created one of the sixties’ most spectacular sports cars: the legendary AC Cobra, also known as the Shelby Cobra. The car quickly became one of Ferrari’s most formidable rivals on the GT scene.
The most notable model of all was the spectacular Shelby Daytona Coupé – also known as the AC Cobra Daytona – designed by Peter Brock, that beat the Ferraris and Jaguar E-Types at their own game. Dan Gurney and Bob Bondurant achieved a stunning fourth place in the overall classification at the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, edging out the iconic Ferrari 250 GTO in the GT rankings.
The third part of Shelby’s Le Mans trilogy began when Henry Ford II entrusted him with the mammoth task of beating Ferrari in the French endurance classic.
The Texan took charge of the racing programme of the legendary Ford GT40 and orchestrated one of the most celebrated successes in the history of the event. In 1966, Ford clinched a historic 1-2-3 with Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren declared winners ahead of Dennis Hulme and Ken Miles. The third step of the podium was taken by the Ford GT40 Mk II fielded by the Holman & Moody team and driven by Ronnie Bucknum and Richard Hutcherson.
Twelve months later, AJ Foyt and Dan Gurney broke the 5,000-kilometre barrier for the first time in winning the 1967 edition.
This storybook confrontation was later portrayed in the 2019 James Mangold movie Ford v Ferrari, in which Hollywood superstar Matt Damon played the role of Carroll Shelby.
The Carroll Shelby collection celebrates the heritage of this larger-than-life character and pays tribute to the energy, talent and passion that were the hallmark of the Texan’s career.
The collection includes canvas jackets and genuine lambskin leather bags that are soft, comfortable and hard-wearing. Each item features details inspired by Shelby’s career, skilfully integrated into the manufacturing process.
This collection reflects the character, elegance and competitive spirit of Shelby, the motorsport pioneer.
Carroll Shelby was a warm, enthusiastic visionary who left an indelible mark on Le Mans legend. Fans can now keep his spirit alive with this elegant new collection.
