We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style - We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets

If you search on Google for Valentino Rossi's style, hundreds of results describe the rider's “stance,” how he learned to adapt to changes in MotoGP, his rivals, and how he managed to become a nine-time World Champion throughout his career. However, if you search online for Valentino Rossi’s fashion, you will find an endless array of caps, t-shirts, sports suits, and VR46 motorcycle stickers in the Doctor's favorite colors: electric blue, green, and fluorescent yellow. A couple of online searches quickly reveal the impact Valentino Rossi has had on the world of MotoGP and street style; however, not many know that the rider was also a star of ‘90s streetwear, sporting Air Max 95s, full denim looks, technical fabric bucket hats in green (years before Frank Ocean did). In short, the Doc is a champion both on and off the track.

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553907

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553912

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553911

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553910

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553909

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553908

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553913

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553914

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553915

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553916

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553905

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553920

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553919

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553918

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553917

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553906

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553903

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553902

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553900

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553901

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553896

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553894

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553889

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553895

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553890

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553891

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553892

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553893

We don't talk enough about Valentino Rossi's style We can't choose between the Air Max 95 collection and his customised helmets | Image 553897

If sneakers, sunglasses, oversized t-shirts, and baggy jeans reflect American influences on Valentino Rossi’s style—his MotoGP debut was in 1996 at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the same year Space Jam was released—then denim, paninaro-style jackets, and even that time he dyed his hair with white, red, and green stripes perfectly express his Italian DNA. Beyond his off-track style, Valentino Rossi’s truly chaotic, irreverent, and never predictable personality has always shone on two wheels. From the Sepang 2014 helmet, decorated with the Doc’s wide-eyed expression on the back, to collaborations with designer Aldo Drudi for Mugello, there are countless details that have made number 46 an enduring icon in the history of motorcycling and beyond. Even in this case, his Italian identity has been evident time and again in his stylistic choices, such as when he asked Drudi to cover his helmet with rigatoni to reference «Vale’s pasta is never overcooked»—a phrase that referred to the fact that, as the years passed, Rossi remained unbeatable. However, the Doc’s ironic style should not be mistaken for superficiality: as designer Drudi once explained, all of Rossi’s stylistic choices were made with a specific purpose in mind. «A special helmet helps him get into the race atmosphere, which is why it must be made to perfection. When everything is done perfectly, including the helmet, the race is won.»