Tommy Hilfiger knows how to do many things. Open a clothing store with $150 (Hilfiger was just 18, when he began his store People’s Choice in 1969). Start a fashion brand – his namesake brand launched in 1985. And he knows that to build an empire, you need a community. In the 90s, he was one of the first designers to pair fashion and celebrity. He dressed everyone from David Bowie to Beyoncé. And after almost 40 years in business, he knows how to put on a spectacular fashion show.
For Spring/Summer 2025, the iconic American designer invited 500 guests to come aboard the decommissioned Staten Island ferry, John F. Kennedy, owned by Pete Davidson and Colin Jost (there were over 1000 people on the wait list – this is the show to go to at New York fashion week). Aboard, guests such as Nicole Warne, Georgia Fowler and Brooke Shields joined the celebration.
The collection celebrated the brand’s maritime heritage and American prep. Hilfiger’s choice of venue was, of course, no accident. “The theme for the season is nautical, always preppy, always collegiate, always sporty. But nautical is the overarching theme,” he told marie claire. “My very first collection in 1985 was nautical and we’ve always done nautical. My flag, my logo is nautical. So, it’s near and dear to my heart.”
The collection showcased Hilfiger’s vision of “American sportswear, which is really casual wear with a sporty attitude, in a fresh new way.” Models made their way around the ferry in an array of pieces that captured this vision: “higher waisted, wider legs, cropped tops, big, oversized jackets” for both men and women. The designer highlighted various influences, explaining, “Tennis is a sporty influence. Collegiate is the sporty influence, but nautical is the overriding influence.”
Standout pieces included Breton and Ithaca shirting stripes that evoked memories of sun-drenched sailing excursions. For men, archival regatta jackets and utility pants, crafted from lightweight sail-cloth nylons and crinkled cottons, offered a fresh take on maritime functionality. For women, capri pants in an array of solids and checks were paired effortlessly with oversized fisherman knits.
Then there were the accessories. Neck-tie bandanas and hand-woven coastal slippers added a touch of seaside charm, while a new chunky rope TH Monogram adorned raffia baseball caps (the caps have gone to the top of our wish list).
Part of the appeal of Tommy Hilfiger, a brand which was founded almost 40 years ago, is that it crosses generations and cultures. This broad appeal is no accident – Hilfiger has long understood the power of community in fashion.
“I always had that thought of building community and building a big fan base that would be connected and loyal,” he said, reflecting on his early days of dressing musicians. It was the Wu-Tang Clan rapper, Raekwon, who turned Tommy Hilfiger’s puffer into a cult staple in the hip hop scene. And it was also no accident that given their history with the brand, the show’s finale was electrified by the Wu-Tang Clan members Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon, who curated the soundtrack.
Despite his decades of success, Hilfiger is always looking ahead, which is perhaps why the brand remains so relevant. He doesn’t stop. And he remains humble. “I keep thinking that I’m going to become successful in the future, even though other people tell me that I’m successful,” he says.
When marie claire speaks to Hilfiger’s wife, Dee Ocleppo Hilfiger, she shares that even after all these years, the thrill of seeing someone wearing Tommy Hilfiger never goes away. “When we’re walking on the street, wherever we are, and we see somebody with a Hilfiger T-shirt on, we always nudge each other,” she says.
She adds: “He’s the soul of the brand and his energy, he’s still so involved in every decision, every brand, and he’s so loved within the fashion industry. He energises the whole brand.”
And there’s no denying, the energy of the Tommy Hilfiger brand is like no other. Bring on Spring/Summer 2025. We know exactly what we’ll be wearing.
