15/05-08   -   Press releases

Hey SPEED RACER – There´s another Racer X on track

Racer X zigs and zags his way down the racetrack in SPEED RACER with nail biting turns and hair raising twists, in the movie Racer X is Matthew Fox but there’s another Racer X on track!!
From the glamorous world of modelling to the cramped cock-pit of a racing car, Mary Kaczor has impressed many on her way from being a highly rated commercial model to devoting herself to the life of a racing driver.

As if the glamorous world of motor racing wasn’t enough, the American born racing driver based in London, took some time off to do something creative. What started out as being a hobby and a way to fend off the boredom of airport lounges during her many travels, looks to have the makings of a successful jewellery design business, Racer X Designs, Ltd.

‘When it came to find a name for my jewellery label, one sprang to mind’ Mary said.‘I named it Racer X mainly as in female racer - X chromosome and being an anonymous racer/designer, like Racer X in Speed Racer.’

‘I remember watching Speed Racer when I was a little girl and Racer X was my favourite character. It was one of my inspirations to grow up and be a racing driver.
Those big-eyed characters such as Trixie! Speed! Racer X!, their mouths never quite moving in sync with the dialogue; which is something I always loved about the Japanese cartoon.
I was also so excited when I heard that Warner Brothers’ was coming out with a high tech remake of “Speed Racer," which was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers, the maestros of “The Matrix."
At Racer X Designs, I came up with the Bijoux Racing collection. This collection is composed of unique designs which combine the luxury of high quality materials with the exclusivity of high-technology Formula One components.

It features pieces for both men and women ranging from chokers, bracelets and earrings to cufflinks that provide an exciting fusion of glamour and technology.

The bespoke range takes the vision a stage further – creating unique luxury pieces from race-winning Renault cars. Each piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from the team.

The creative concept has been developed from an original idea by Mary Kaczor, herself a former winner of the Formula Renault Ladies Cup. So when it came to approaching a team about a possible collection of innovative jewellery, the choice was obvious.

“I have always wanted to combine my love of racing with my jewellery design business," explained Mary, “I’ve always seen the Renault F1 Team as being associated with other fashion brands in the past such as Benetton who had cutting edge ad campaigns. So the Renault F1 team became the obvious choice as a partner in this project.

As well as being one of the top teams in Formula One, they are also well known as one of the most stylish, and we have had fantastic fun choosing the parts to use in the collection. I believe the end result is something completely unique."

In total, a Formula One car contains over 5000 parts, made from materials ranging from titanium to carbon-fibre. From the tiniest oil filter to complex electronics, every component has its role to play in helping the car cross the finish lineÂ… in first place.

Racer X Designs and Renault F1 Team have therefore selected a number of components, from transmission bearings to hydraulic oil filters, to create the Bijoux Racing collection.

“Formula One is a world that mixes high technology with a dash of glamour," explained Renault F1 Team spokesperson. “Here at Renault, we are always open-minded about new ideas and this was a project we thought had real potential. For many people, it might seem unusual to combine the worlds of motor racing and luxury jewellery – but that’s exactly what attracted us to it. In fact, the demands are more similar than you might think: both require precision, the highest quality, and a unique approach to be successful."

Various designs have been sold in Henri Bendels in NY, Ultimos in Chicago, Byblos in St. Tropez and the Metropole and Eleven Montecarlo in Monaco among other high end boutiques worldwide. Some pieces have even graced the necks and wrists of some celebrities and European royals.

Even though Mary has been focusing her energies on jewellery design lately, she hasn’t forgotten her first loveÂ…cars.

She still keeps her foot on the throttle and works on some car commercials and artistic stunt driving shows such as Romeo and Juliet – which was a feature at the previous British International Motor show. One day she’s still thinking of fulfilling her dream of racing in the LeMans 24 hours race in France.

In Speed Racer, it was acknowledged by both Pops and Speed over the years that Racer X was the superior driver of the two, and the greatest driver that they had ever seen, but Speed always vowed to defeat Racer X as the two vigorously competed.

Mary says she’ll give Speed Racer a run for his money.

Watch out Speed you’ve got someone coming up from behind and it’s another Racer X!!