We talk W/ Tommy Hilfiger: “My dream is for the brand to exist forever”

In this short chat, Tommy Hilfiger shares his thoughts just one day before his highly anticipated SS25 runway show at the old Staten Island Ferry. From preparations for the show to his views on the evolution of the industry, Mr. Hilfiger reflects on how he has kept his brand relevant for nearly four decades, the importance of pop culture in his success, and the need to constantly innovate without losing his DNA.

HIGHXTAR (H) – Good morning, Mr. Hilfiger.

TOMMY HILFIGER (T.H.)- Good morning. How are you?

(H) – Only one day for the show. How are you feeling? 

(T.H.)- I feel very good. It’s, uh, been a lot of work. We have a whole team working day and night, pulling it together, but I’m very excited. 

(H) – Any detail to complete yet? 

(T.H.)- Oh, always! The details are perhaps to do with the tailoring adjustments and that everything fits perfectly.

(H) – You’ve been like a lot of years in the industry. Do you have any kind of ritual to go to for the shows?

(T.H.)- Well, we are always preparing. What happens is that in the days leading up to the show there is a lot of activity. I do a lot of interviews, there are a lot of parties, a lot of events and a lot of people coming from all over the world. I don’t really have time to relax and think about meditating or doing things that other people probably do, because I’m completely focused on the show. But it’s exciting.

(H) – Why choosing in this occasion in particular, the ferry, the MV John F. Kennedy to host the show?

(T.H.)- It’s an iconic American landmark. A floating landmark. And last season we did it at the Oyster Bar of Grand Central Station, which was another New York iconic venue. So we thought we had to find something very New York, very iconic, and…disruptive in the thinking! Out of the box in a way,. We are doing a collection that is inspired by nautical, of course, preppy and American sportswear, but we wanted to do something that was in keeping with the brand and sort of the image of what the season is all about, so I think it works perfectly! That’s going to be a lot of fun: Lot of influencers, a lot of celebrities, great music, a lot of models, a lot of looks for men and women… and a big audience!

(H) – So Nueva York tribute continues this season.

(T.H.)- Yes, because it is where all started.

(H) – And what is the best thing of New York? 

(T.H.)- The energy. The energy is the best thing of New York but, you know? I love the food, I love the ambience, I love Central Park, I love the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building… but I also love going into the village, going into Soho, sometimes visiting Chinatown, sometimes visiting Harlem. There’s so much, it’s endless in terms of what you can actually enjoy in the city. 

(H) – And if you had to choose the worst thing of New York. What would you say?

(T.H.)- There is quite a lot of homelessness and I feel very bad for the homeless people. That’s the one thing that would really stand out. Of course, in any big city there is some level of crime because of the lack of resources for everyone looking for opportunities but yes, homelessness really affects me because my heart goes out to those people.

(H) – Speaking of looking for opportunities, can you tell me a little bit about the People’s Place Program?

(T.H.)- Basically, it’s a program and a mission to promote diversity and representation for everyone in fashion. And we have been very active in mentoring young people and giving opportunities to young people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to be within the fashion industry.

(H) – After COVID, you stopped doing fashion shows in physical format, but you did one in September 2022 in a figurative format, and then this year you returned to the catwalk. What has changed in your absence during these years?

(T.H.)- I think, globally, the world has evolved. And I think people have many, many choices. They can shop at Zara or they can shop at Louis Vuitton; and in between those extremes there are millions of brands. I see the strong brands getting stronger and some smaller, weaker brands maybe not surviving because it’s a very difficult business, and unless you have momentum and a big fan base, I think it’s hard to stay ahead. But then you have the big companies like LVMH and Kering, who own luxury brands and continue to invest in advertising, marketing, physical fashion shows, etc., so it’s exciting because it’s always changing and evolving. We like to be part of that.

(H) – Yes, fashion is a fast-moving industry. Today it is even more exaggerated how fast it moves. What is the secret to keep up after almost 40 years in this sometimes crazy industry?

(T.H.)- I think you have to always refresh the product. And I think that the marketing and advertising is the engine behind it. So I think when you have those two things, but a large customer and fan base, it is important to please the consumer with newness and freshness and sometimes surprises.

(H) – Do you miss something of the industry of fashion in the past that you feel that nowadays it’s not done?

(T.H.)- I think that for me, I really enjoyed being in retail at a young age, so I got to really understand the business as a result of being in my own stores, with a face to face opportunity with a consumer. You learn so much because people tell you what they like and tell you what they don’t like and that helped me shape and mold my brand. By having all of that knowledge, but knowing that the information is really there, you just have to ask people and ask the consumer, you really understand de business. People are the judge.

(H) – It’s funny how you’ve built a brand that is so adored by very different people. You are one of the most famous designers in the world, every pop culture icon has been in your campaigns or worn your clothes. What’s the secret of being adored by so many people?. 

(T.H.)- Well, it makes me very proud.  I’m always very critical of what we do. So I’m always looking at something and saying: how can I make this better? How can we make it better without it becoming outrageously expensive? Because I always wanted to be an affordable, accessible brand from the very, very beginning, and I’ve never changed that.

I always wanted it to be an accessible and affordable brand from the beginning, and I’ve never changed that.

(H) – What about campaigns? You have very diverse artists and stars on them. Do you like contemporary culture or do you surround yourself with young people who help you see beyond your personal tastes?¿Qué hay de las campañas?

(T.H.)- Well, I am a student of what I called: FAME. Fashion. Art. Music. Enterteinment; and Sports. That is what makes up pop culture, and pop culture has been instrumental in driving my brand for over 40 years, so i’ve always connected with music and musicians, Actors, Hollywood stars, sports stars, artists, and other fashion people.
I really believe that my curiosity has given me that opportunity to surround myself with pop culture icons and what is going on in the culture globally.

(H) – You know that now the trend is quiet luxury. How do you see it?

(T.H.)- Well, I think there are certain brands that do quiet luxury very well. It’s really about fabric quality, fit, color and attitude, but that’s really not my business. I would say I’m much more accessible, affordable, casual, but always with an element of fun. I like color, I like prints, I love stripes, plaid…. And quiet luxury tends to be very solid colors.

However, having said that, I love a good camel or navy cashmere sweater. So I think you can mix luxury and more understated fashion with what we do at the brand. But I insist, that’s not my approach. I really think that following a trend is maybe for another brand, but not for us. We are trend right, but we don’t follow trends. And in any case, we set trends as a result of tweaking what we do best. 

(H) – Tommy Hilfiger turns 40 next year. How you feel about it?

(T.H.)- So that’s a really good question and I’ve asked myself that question many times because I know is coming up from a lot of different people. It’s very sad because it’s gone by too fast and I love the journey and I have loved every moment of building this brand.
There have been trials and tribulations and ups and downs along the way but I think those are opportunities and I think you grow from those. Otherwise it would be very boring if everything were just perfect all the time. So, I’m sad that it went by so fast, but at the same time, I have tremendous pride that we’ve been able to grow and exist for that amount of time.

The consistency we have had has allowed us to remain strong in the world of fashion. Now, my dream is for the brand to exist forever.

(H) – Do you want the brand to still exist after you retire?

(T.H.)- I want Tommy Hilfiger to be always connected to the DNA, to our codes. Our codes are pretty simple, you know? We love red, white and blue, we love preppy sportswear, Americana, classic and cool… I love to have this nautical attitude that we’ve always had, and that it keeps changing, evolving and moving forward. I also love that we have a lot of details and surprises in the clothes, and I think the customer does too. We are always thinking about the customer and what they might want; sometimes we know what they want even before they do.

It’s like a game because every season has to be different, every advertising campaign has to be different, every style has to be different from the previous one, but always with the same purpose. There are a lot of parts that matter, but the business itself is very exciting. So I think, at this point, the consistency we have had has allowed us to remain strong in the world of fashion. Now, my dream is for the brand to exist forever.