In the room with the King of American cool: Tommy Hilfiger

There is an electric, post-show hum that only New York Fashion Week can produce, and when Tommy Hilfiger takes over The Plaza, that voltage hits peak frequency.

Fresh off an explosive runway presentation that sent social feeds into meltdown, I step into Tommy's private showroom. Racks of the brand-new Spring/Summer collection form a razor-sharp perimeter around the space. In the centre of it all, sitting comfortably on a couch with that unmistakable, welcoming smile, is Tommy Hilfiger.

Before I can even offer my congratulations, his eyes scan my look. "Great knit rope sweater," he notes instantly, clocking that it's from his NZ season, right down to the shoes. That is Tommy in a nutshell: four decades at the helm of an empire spanning continents, and his instinct for detail, craft, and personal style remains as sharp as day one.

It's been almost a decade since we first sat down together in Shanghai, yet here he is, years in fashion with the energy and restless curiosity of someone who just launched their first label yesterday. From remixing heritage archives and championing cultural icons like Gigi Hadid and Travis Kelce, to his enduring love affair with Manhattan, Tommy sat down with Remix to reflect on nostalgia, family, and the unstoppable evolution of Classic American Cool.

Tommy, huge congratulations on the show. My entire feed is wall-to-wall Tommy, and it's genuinely gone viral.
Thank you, Tim! We've honestly been amazed at the reaction and the sheer volume of press. It really took on a life of its own. 

The star power in that room was incredible. Your ambassador roster is legendary, from Gigi Hadid opening the show to Travis Kelce in the campaign, and Blackpink's Jisoo front row. What does it feel like having Gigi lead the charge again? 
Gigi is family. We've collaborated so closely over the years, and to me, she truly is the epitome of the Tommy Girl. Having her open the show just felt right. She was actually wearing one of her original collaborative tees from our 2016 collection the day before! That kind of loyalty and history is rare.

You had Camila Cabello in the house too. I actually sat close to her during the show, and she was raving about the pieces. When you bring figures like Camila, Jisoo, and K-pop stars into the mix, what are you fundamentally looking for in a brand ambassador?
We want people who are firmly rooted in the zeitgeist, but above all, people who genuinely love and respect the brand. We never want someone in a campaign who is just showing up for a paycheck and wearing another label behind closed doors. It has to be authentic. They have to live it.

Speaking of icons, having Romeo Beckham close the show was a massive moment. How did that come about?
He's fantastic. We put him in the Tommy Hilfiger Always Denim campaign, and having him close the runway today brought it full circle. He's part of the family now.

And Kate Moss sitting front row.
She's timeless Tommy royalty. Kate has been in the family for decades.

You also brought Travis Kelce into the campaign fold, which is an exciting, athletic direction. What's he like to collaborate with? 
Travis is incredibly humble, fun, down-to-earth, and funny. He's a world-class athlete, but he genuinely loves fashion and loves life. He brings such an effortless, cool energy to the table. And Patrick Schwarzenegger was here with his wife, Abby Champion, who walked, and they're just such a stellar couple.

Staging this presentation at The Plaza carries personal significance for you, doesn't it? You used to live here.
It feels like coming home. I've visited many times since because I actually sold my apartment here to a close friend. What I loved most about living at The Plaza was waking up every single morning looking out over Central Park. You're completely surrounded by nature, right smack in the middle of a concrete jungle.

That contrast captures New York so well. What does the city represent to you today? 
It's the epicentre of the world—a true melting pot. In New York, you can find anything you crave, whether it's a Broadway production, a world-class sports match, an underground concert, incredible dining, or walking through Chinatown. The city ebbs and flows with the economy and global shifts, but right now, post-COVID, there is an electric vibrancy. Young creatives are moving into Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, bringing a whole new life and perspective to the city's pulse. 

Looking at the new collection, where did the creative journey begin?
We started with our own archive. We dove back into four decades of history, pulling our absolute favourite signatures and silhouettes, and asking ourselves: How do we renew them? How do we remix them? We took the core DNA (the colours, the proportions, and the fabrics) and reimagined them with a fresh, youthful lens. In this industry, if you don't evolve, you become stagnant. And stagnation is the kiss of death. 

"Classic American Cool" is a phrase synonymous with your name. What does that idea mean to you right now? 
It all comes down to pop culture. Our brand lives at the crossroads of fashion, art, music, entertainment, and sports- what I like to call "F.A.M.E.S." That's where the needle moves in society. It's what gives clothing cultural resonance, not just aesthetic appeal.

When you spent time digging through the 40-year archive for this season, what caught you off guard?
Honestly? Just how much we've done. It's almost mind-boggling to see the breadth of it, spanning 90s sailing gear and skiwear to the original Tommy Jeans. Every piece triggers a vivid memory. I remember the exact day we drafted the sketch, the model who wore it down the runway, the campaign shoot. Being surrounded by all that history doesn't just bring back nostalgia; it gives me genuine chills.

More than forty years in, your enthusiasm hasn't waned a bit. What still keeps you excited every morning? 
Everything. I thrive on change. I love trying things first, experimenting with live music on our runways, and pioneering what I call "Fashiontainment." Why do what everyone else does? In fashion, you either go big or you go home.

What's the next chapter for Tommy Hilfiger?
We're still building. We're expanding further into a total global lifestyle vision, and we're far from finished. Watch this space.

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