Tommy Hilfiger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tommy Hilfiger
Hilfiger in 1996
Born	Thomas Jacob Hilfiger (1951-03-24) March 24, 1951 (age 74) Elmira, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Fashion designer
Label(s)	Tommy Hilfiger
Spouse(s)	Jayne Klopenstein ​ ​ (m. 1978; div. 1979)​ Susie Cirona ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 2000)​ Dee Ocleppo ​ ​ (m. 2008)​
Children	5, including Ricky Hil

Thomas Jacob Hilfiger (born March 24, 1951) is a famous American fashion designer. He is the person who started the well-known company, Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.

Tommy Hilfiger began his career in the 1970s by opening a chain of clothing stores called People's Place. These stores were located in upstate New York. In the 1980s, he started designing his own line of preppy clothes for men. His company later grew to include women's clothing and many luxury items, like perfumes. The company became public in 1992, meaning its shares could be bought and sold on the stock market.

Hilfiger's clothing styles are often inspired by music and popular culture. He has worked with many famous musicians, such as the R&B artist Aaliyah in the 1990s. In 2005, he had a TV show called The Cut, where people competed for a design job with him. In 2006, Hilfiger sold his company for $1.6 billion. It was later sold again in 2010 for $3 billion. Even after selling the company, Tommy Hilfiger is still the main designer. He leads the design teams and guides all the creative work. In 2012, he received a special award called the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award for his long and successful career in fashion.

Tommy Hilfiger's Fashion Journey

Tommy Hilfiger finished high school in 1969. His parents hoped he would go to college and choose a traditional job. For a short time, he did attend a local college program.

Starting with People's Place (1970s–1983)

In the summer of 1969, Tommy worked in a clothing store. After this, he decided to use his savings of $150 to open his own store in 1971. He named it People's Place. The first store was in Elmira, New York, and it was more than just a clothing shop. It had a hair salon, a record store, and even hosted rock concerts in the basement! To fill his store, Tommy and a friend would drive to New York City. They bought popular clothes like bell-bottoms, peasant blouses, and leather jackets.

But Tommy wasn't fully happy just selling clothes. He started drawing his own designs. He later wrote that designing made him "happier than anything I'd ever done." He knew then that designing would be his life's work.

Unfortunately, People's Place went out of business in 1977. After this, Tommy took classes to learn more about the business side of fashion. He then moved to New York City and worked for different clothing brands. In 1979, he started his own company called Tommy Hill. One of his first clients was Jordache Jeans. As his company grew, he traveled to India to learn more about making clothes. He said, "There's no better design school in the world" than watching clothes being made in the factory. In 1981, he started another company called 20th Century Survival, and in 1982, he founded Click Point, which designed women's clothing.

Creating Tommy Hilfiger Inc. (1984–1990s)

In 1984, a businessman named Mohan Murjani asked Hilfiger if he wanted to create his own line of men's sportswear. Murjani provided the money Tommy needed to start his own brand. Tommy also helped design the Coca-Cola clothing line for Murjani.

Tommy Hilfiger wanted to create something new and different in fashion. He loved the traditional "preppy" style, like clothes worn at Ivy League schools, by sailors, and by athletes. He wanted to take these classic looks and make them more relaxed and modern. In 1985, he officially started the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation with Murjani's help.

His new clothing line launched with a big advertising campaign. They even put up a huge billboard in Times Square! In 1989, Tommy Hilfiger left Murjani International. Another investor, Silas Chou, then supported the Hilfiger brand. Former executives from Ralph Lauren joined the new company, Tommy Hilfiger, Inc. In 1992, the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation became a public company. That year, Hilfiger also launched his famous menswear collection. In 1995, he was named Menswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

After getting the rights to sell Pepe Jeans USA in 1995, Tommy Hilfiger Inc. started selling women's clothing in 1996. By the end of 1997, Hilfiger opened his first store in Beverly Hills, followed by a store in London in 1998. By 1997, Hilfiger was a co-chairman of his company. That same year, he published his first book, All American: A Style Book.

Growing the Brand (1990s–2004)

Tommy Hilfiger has always loved rock and roll music. His clothing collections are often inspired by music styles. His clothes are also promoted through the music industry. As early as 1993, Hilfiger was a sponsor for Pete Townshend's tour. He also sponsored musical events for artists like Sheryl Crow, Britney Spears, and Lenny Kravitz. By the mid-1990s, Hilfiger's clothing was popular with both the "preppy" crowd and in hip hop fashion. The R&B singer Aaliyah became a well-known spokesperson for Tommy Hilfiger in 1997.

Tommy Hilfiger even had a small role in the movie Zoolander in 2001. From 2002 to 2006, the company owned the naming rights to the Tommy Hilfiger at Jones Beach Theatre music venue. Because sales slowed down in the early 2000s, Hilfiger started to change the brand. He made a deal to sell his best-selling lines only at Macy's stores to keep the brand feeling special and high-end.

The Tommy Hilfiger Corporation continued to work closely with musicians in the 2000s, focusing on fragrances (perfumes) as well as clothes. In 2003, Tommy Hilfiger bought Sweetface Fashion, which owned the J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez clothing line. In 2004, they released a perfume called True Star, with Beyoncé as the face of the campaign. By 2004, the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation had sales of about $1.8 billion and 5,400 employees.

TV Shows and Company Sale (2005–2011)

A Tommy Hilfiger store in Tokyo, Japan, in 2008

In 2005, a CBS reality show called The Cut followed sixteen people competing for a design job with Tommy Hilfiger. They also competed for their own fashion line under his brand. The show was similar to Donald Trump's The Apprentice. After a final challenge, Hilfiger chose Chris Cortez as the winner.

In December 2005, Tommy Hilfiger sold his clothing brand for $1.6 billion to a private investment company called Apax Partners. The sale was completed in May 2006. In 2008, Hilfiger co-hosted a TV show called Tommy Hilfiger Presents Ironic Iconic America. This show looked at how pop culture has shaped American styles. In 2009, Hilfiger was a guest judge on an episode of Project Runway. He also presented an award at the 2010 World Music Awards.

In March 2010, Phillips-Van Heusen, which owns other big brands like Calvin Klein, bought the Tommy Hilfiger brand from Apax Partners for $3 billion. Tommy Hilfiger launched an ad campaign called "Meet The Hilfigers" in August 2010. In 2011, Hilfiger and a partner planned to buy a large building in New York City to turn it into Hilfiger's first hotel with luxury apartments. However, Hilfiger decided not to go through with the project in September 2011. In 2012, he was a guest judge on Project Runway: All Stars and also worked as a fashion consultant for contestants on American Idol.

Recent Years and Memoir (2012–2016)

Hilfiger helped create the Marc Anthony Collection in 2012. Marc Anthony had not been interested in fashion until Hilfiger convinced him it was a good idea. In 2012, Hilfiger received the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. The brand's global sales were $6.4 billion in 2013 and $6.7 billion in 2014.

Tommy Hilfiger is still the main designer for his company. He leads the design teams and oversees all the creative work. In 2016, he worked with model Gigi Hadid to create the TommyXGigi clothing collection. In February 2017, the brand held its fashion show in Los Angeles for the first time, instead of at New York Fashion Week.

In January 2015, Hilfiger announced he was writing his life story. The book was written over a year. Hilfiger said he wanted to write it now before he forgot things. He wanted to show people what goes on "behind the curtain" of the fashion industry.

Hilfiger's memoir, American Dreamer: My Life in Fashion & Business, was published in November 2016. He described it as a "roadmap" of moments that shaped his 40-year fashion career and personal life. The book covers his childhood, his early business ideas, and his later life in fashion. American Dreamer appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List in December 2016.

Helping Others: Charity Work

World War II veterans, Petty Officer 1st class Lorenzo A. DuFau, a former signalman, and Petty Officer 2nd class James W. Graham of USS Mason, with Tommy Hilfiger during the screening of Proud at the Apollo Theater in 2005

In 1995, Hilfiger started The Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation. This organization helps charities that support young people in America who are at risk. It focuses on health, education, and cultural programs. In 1998, Hilfiger was a sponsor for LIFEbeat – The Music Industry Fights AIDS, a charity that helps people with AIDS. He also personally supports groups like Autism Speaks and the MLK, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation. He has been on the board of directors for The Fresh Air Fund, which helps underprivileged children go to summer camp. In 1999, one of their camp programs was renamed Camp Tommy in his honor.

Since 2008, Hilfiger has designed special limited-edition handbags to support Breast Health International (BHI). This is an international group that works to find a cure for breast cancer. A part of the money from these handbag sales goes to BHI's Fund For Living program. Famous people are chosen each season to promote these bags. In 2013, models Claudia Schiffer and Naomi Campbell posed with the BHI bag.

Millennium Promise is a non-profit group that aims to end extreme poverty, hunger, and preventable diseases in poor areas. Tommy Hilfiger is recognized as a Millennium Promise MDG Global Leader. In 2009, Hilfiger promised to donate $2 million over five years to Millennium Promise. This money went to help a city in Uganda, improving things like clean water, education, and farming for its residents.

In 2012, all of The Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation's charity work was renamed Tommy Cares. This is a bigger, worldwide effort that brings together the brand's partnerships with non-profit groups, donations, and employee involvement. Tommy Cares supports organizations like Save the Children, the World Wildlife Fund, and War Child. Hilfiger and his wife are on the board of Autism Speaks since 2012. Through this organization, Hilfiger became a sponsor of the Golden Door Film Festival in September 2014.

Hilfiger has always believed that being inclusive, diverse, and allowing people to express themselves are very important for his brand and its impact on pop culture.

Awards and Recognition

Jessica Stam wears Tommy Hilfiger on the runway in 2008.

Here are some of the awards and recognitions Tommy Hilfiger has received:

• 1995: Council of Fashion Designers of America – Menswear Designer of the Year
• 1996: American Academy of Achievement – Golden Plate Award
• 1997: FiFi Awards – Men's Fragrance of the Year – Luxe, for the fragrance "Tommy"
• 1998: Parsons School of Design – Designer of the Year Award
• 1998: GQ Magazine – Designer of the Year
• 2002: GQ Germany – International Designer of the Year
• 2006: GQ Spain – Designer of the Year
• 2006: Harvard Foundation – Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian of the Year
• 2007: Hispanic Federation – Individual Achievement Award
• 2009: UNESCO – UNESCO Support Award, for his charity work
• 2009: Marie Claire Magazine – Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2010: Pratt Institute – Legends Award
• 2012: Council of Fashion Designers of America – Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2015: Race To Erase MS – honored for his efforts to find a cure for MS

Fair Labor Practices

Tommy Hilfiger's company, like many others, has faced questions about how its clothes are made. Some clothes were made in Saipan, a U.S. territory. While clothes made there can be labeled "Made in the USA," some federal labor laws, like the minimum wage, did not fully apply at the time. In March 2000, the company and others reached an agreement in a lawsuit. This lawsuit was brought by garment workers in Saipan who claimed they were mistreated.

Tommy Hilfiger's Style and Influence

The Tommy Hilfiger brand is an example of a designer label.

A Tommy Hilfiger customer in Azerbaijan wears the brand in 2013. His shirt displays a variation of the distinctive three-tone logo.

While Tommy Hilfiger's first designs were inspired by 1960s fashion, since the 1980s, his designs usually come from classic American "preppy" styles. These styles are often seen in New England. His first clothing lines for the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation were mostly for young men who wanted designer clothing. Tommy Hilfiger became one of the most important brands in 1990s sportswear. Other popular brands at the time included Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and DKNY. These companies created stylish, comfortable, and versatile clothes, all with a focus on luxury.

Hip hop fashion started to include the Hilfiger brand in the 1990s. When Snoop Dogg wore a Hilfiger sweatshirt on Saturday Night Live, it sold out in New York City stores the very next day! Hilfiger also welcomed the new hip hop market. Rappers like Puffy and Coolio even walked in his fashion shows. Specific items, like Tommy Hilfiger carpenter jeans, became very popular. They often had the brand's logo on the hammer loop.

Hilfiger continues to have many fashion lines. Some focus on everyday "casual" clothes, while others create special haute couture designs. Besides the preppy styles from his youth, Hilfiger has also been influenced by many American icons. These include Grace Kelly, James Dean, Deborah Harry, Iggy Pop, and Andy Warhol. Many of his designs also draw inspiration from hard rock and pop music.

Tommy Hilfiger's Personal Life

Tommy Hilfiger was born on March 24, 1951, in Elmira, New York. He was the second of nine children. His father, Richard, was a watchmaker, and his mother, Virginia, was a nurse. Tommy has said he had a very happy childhood. He believes his parents taught him to work hard and care for others. He also has dyslexia.

Tommy was interested in sports, fashion, and music from a young age. This interest ran in his family. One of his brothers, Andy Hilfiger, became a musician and designer. Another brother, Billy Hilfiger, played guitar in bands.

In 1976, Tommy met Susan Cirona, who worked at his People's Place store. They married in 1980. They had four children together: one son and three daughters. In 2003, Tommy's daughter Ally was on the MTV reality show Rich Girls. His son, Richard, is a rapper and musician known as "Ricky Hil." Tommy and Susan divorced in 2000.

On December 12, 2008, Tommy married Dee Ocleppo. They had a son in 2009.

Books by Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger on TV and Film

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