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Tommy Hilfiger: Moby Dick Hilfiger Saves the Whales
By Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
Sep 8, 2001/ FWD/ --- Tommy Hilfiger found the inspiration for his Spring 2002 men's collection from
his home in Nantucket, and this design captain even found a mission on the sunny island - saving the whales.
Nearly a score of outfits in the show bore tiny little silhouettes of sperm whales, sprinkled across pink
sweatshirts, Kelly green flat pants, madras shorts and red corduroy trousers.
"I'm inspired by sporty classics," said a beaming Tommy, attired in an oxford blue shirt, jeans and a belt
with little red lobster designs. Melville would have been pleased.
Hilfiger's show in Bryant Park's main tent opened the New York season, which precedes the London, Milan and
Paris collections. That's somewhat ironic, as Hilfiger's success has been built reinterpreting American
classics, while fashion's lifeblood is the continual search for the new.
What worked best in this collection were the freshened up preppy looks and sporty logo apparel, whipped up
in summery New England hues. What also worked were Tommy's sailing-inspired looks, shown in front of a
blue nautical backdrop.
Yachting gear for rough seas almost universally looks awful -- has anyone ever seen
how people dress at Cowes or the Fastnet Race, Europe's toughest of seamanship? But Tommy managed the
remarkable feat of making sloop chic look real good. He even managed to break new ground with white oxford
shirts, punching them up with logos, trimming them with reflective material, and adding patchwork flags to
the placket.
Though frequently dismissed as a Ralph Lauren for the masses, Hilfiger is a talented colorist as this
collection underlined. His cut admittedly remains very boxy, but then the all-American youths Tommy aims
to please are definitely trim and buff. Like Tommy himself.
Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger
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