A year and a half ago, Alexandra Saint Mleux made her first appearance in the Formula 1 paddock as the girlfriend of Charles Leclerc. In the time since she has become the second most followed “wag” on Instagram and the most followed on TikTok. It’s clear that she’s drawn the attention of a certain division of Formula 1 fans, but what makes her so compelling to the masses?
When Saint Mleux first stepped out in public as Lecerc’s girlfriend, there wasn’t much about her in the public realm. According to news articles: she was a Monaco resident, supposedly 21 years old and studying art history. But that was sort of… it. Her main social media accounts were private and her TikTok, the only public account, consisted of a handful of artistic videos of herself and different idyllic locations. For all intents and purposes, she was a complete unknown.
It was a stark difference from previous “wags” we’d seen appear in recent years. The likes of Francisca Gomes (Pierre Leclerc’s girlfriend) or Luisinha Oliviera (Lando Norris’ ex-girlfriend) who’d both been models with extensive social media personalities. From an outsider’s perspective, it seemed like Saint Mleux intended to fall more into the role of a more private “wag”, keeping her life and her relationship hidden from public scrutiny.
Except… the public wasn’t satisfied with this arrangement.
That first appearance in Monaco back in 2022 caused an explosion of interest across social media. Most notably, amongst the female population. This was for one reason and one reason principally: her dress. The Charo Ruiz black, lace mini dress was all some people could talk about. But the looks didn’t stop there.
On Sunday that same weekend, Saint Mleux stepped out in a different dress. A white, long-sleeve midi dress from Meshki. She looked stunning in it and the masses agreed as they filmed her across the paddock, in awe of her impeccable posture and natural elegance.
For most, however, this moment has more significance than being merely a pretty dress on a pretty girl. Because while previous and existing “wags” had gained attention in the paddock for their outfits – perhaps more unique or designer – there was something attainable about Saint Mleux’s outfit. It wasn’t designer or ridiculously expensive. The Juniper dress can be purchased from Meshki for £69 – a decidedly low press in comparison to what we usually might see on the grid. The fact that it could be recreated by the semi-average person, that’s what caught people’s eye.
The dress on Saint Mleux went somewhat viral after the Monaco Grand Prix, with hundreds of fans purchasing the same item and referring to it as the “Meshki Alexandra dress” on social media. In recent memory, there isn’t a Formula 1 “wag” who’s had the same impact on social media like this. While fans have appreciated certain looks from this group of women, the majority don’t have the finances to replicate them like this. Perhaps, they could be influenced by the style, but they could never duplicate it.
This was where Saint Mleux began to stand out from the rest.
The affordable looks didn’t stop after Monaco, either. Meshki seemed to become her signature brand, with Saint Mleux wearing their dresses at multiple subsequent races and a high-neck top from the brand in Brazil (pictured below). In Japan, she was seen sporting a top from Zara and, in Vegas, a pair of sequin shorts and a knit sweatshirt.
In 2024, Saint Mleux hasn’t stopped wearing her affordable outfits. When her boyfriend, Charles Leclerc, won the Monaco Grand Prix this year, she was even pictured wearing a Meshki dress to the gala dinner with Prince Albert.
Arguably, the affordability and attainability of her style have made her the number one source of fashion inspiration for a lot of fans. At the very least, it’s the reason why she caught so many people’s attention in the first place. Because, in all honesty, her looks are never entirely affordable. Quite often, she pairs one of her Meshki dresses with a Lady Dior handbag or another designer bag and almost always she is seen wearing a pair of Hermes Orans. But, perhaps, people like that they can look at her outfit and replicate the bare bones of it.
Saint Mleux’s popularity amongst fashion enthusiasts both inside and beyond Formula 1 has only flourished since she made her social media accounts public earlier this year. With 1.1 million followers on TikTok, she’s by far the most popular “wag” on the app. Every video she’s posted in the past year has gained more than a million views with one even reaching the ten million mark.
Her Instagram page is no different, either. With 1.1 million followers on the app, she’s the second most followed “wag” to Kelly Piquet who’s undeniably been in the game far longer than her. They’re incredibly impressive figures and it’s clear, despite how many people want to discredit her, that she’s become somewhat of an iconic figure across the paddock and brands should be looking to her as a source of influencer marketing.
Thinking Formula 
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