Tommy Hilfiger has some thoughts about the way men should dress now, and he’s launched a new label to steer them in the right direction. Introducing Tommy Hilfiger New York.
Last week, at the Tommy Hilfiger HQ on Madison Avenue, the man himself walked through the new label. “A lot of younger male customers—they’ve never worn a blazer,” he said, wearing a blazer. “But we also find that the male customer wants to dress up a bit, and that’s where we feel he is going.” Tommy Hilfiger New York is designed to meet the guy where he’s at but with a new hint of dressiness. “It’s high-low,” Hilfiger continued, “to be able to wear a blazer with pajama pants, with shorts, or something very casual.” He was wearing a white polo and a baseball cap with that blazer, by the way.
The collection is small, an intentionally tight launch. “It’s the size of a capsule, but it unlocks and enters us into this arena,” he said. It was first unveiled at Pitti Uomo, naturally, at a cocktail presentation. Hilfiger reports that it was very well-received, particularly the black and white penny loafers he wore at the event. (This lookbook reads a bit like a street style report from the streets of Florence in the midst of the men’s showcase, in fact.) The collection will be sold in Tommy Hilfiger stores and online worldwide, and in “some special additional specialty stores.”
Why add New York to the name? Because the collection is inspired by the codes of New York dressing—a sort of loosened up take on tailoring and elegance that is lived-in and playful. The proportions are indeed a little heftier and more relaxed than classic Tommy—not quite oversized but just enough to project a sense of ease. The real hits are the jackets, which are cut, for the most part, in technical fabrics. They’re light, unlined, and mostly wrinkle-free—the kind of thing you can throw into a carry-on or tote bag and throw on at your destination. (A pretty great concept for a generation of men who are suddenly becoming acquainted with blazers thanks to both runway trends and return-to-office policies.)
Other charmers include a range of nice and airy knit polos and a pair of easy and very breathable jeans made in a denim and linen blend. Another pair of jeans has been creased down the legs (you’ve most recently seen this done at Michael Rider’s debut Celine show). Ties, meanwhile, are either a playful, vibrant accessory or have been altogether replaced by silky scarves popping out of collars. The whole thing preserves the all-American Tommy prep vernacular. “It’s heritage prep mixed with new prep,” said Hilfiger. What it is, really, is a brand of prep that’s a little younger and cooler—even sexier, in its own way.
