At the Men's Spring fashion show in Las Vegas, Tommy Hilfiger, one of the decade's leading menswear designers, was the special guest. In fact, the audio-video presentation that introduced him to the assembled group of designers, clothing executives and fashion press was so glitzy it was eerily reminiscent of a political convention ushering in its presidential nominee.
There was jazzy music, a historical run-down of Hilfiger's meteoric rise to fame, and far too many pictures of him accepting fashion awards. When the video came to an abrupt end, the all-American boy himself appeared to thunderous applause. He was wearing a simple, classic, blue 3-button blazer, sport trousers, white shirt and striped tie.He looked like a preppie.
The only thing that would have made him look more like a presidential candidate was an adorable family. Unfortunately, his devoted wife of 14 years and his three children were in Vail, Colo., for a family skiing vacation - and Hilfiger, who had been with them until the fashion meetings, was going right back.
The "in" designer said he had a "Leave it to Beaver" small-town childhood, including nine children bouncing around in a five bedroom home.
"Growing up in this all-American environment probably influenced me more than anything else."
In 1970, Hilfiger had $150, 20 pairs of jeans and an idea. Within 10 years he had parlayed those meager assets into a successful chain of retail shops in upstate New York. Utilizing naturally high energy and deep interest in his customers, he began designing much of the merchandise offered in his shops.
Gradually, he started to become known in the inner circles of the fashion world. Today, he is highly regarded for designing authentic American sportswear with distinctive flair and wit.
"I love the classics, but I think they are very boring in many cases, so I set out to change them. When I started my business, I took all of my basics out of my closet - my basic Oxford shirt, my basic chinos, my basic cotton blue sweater, all the essentials of life - and I set out to change them. I made them over-sized - which was a breakthrough in the early '80s. I also washed all the cottons. A lot of people questioned it, but I wanted to get rid of the chemicals, soften the fabric, and give it more of a relaxed, over-sized look."
Hilfiger also added subtle details that have since spread to other designers. "Just being honest about what I do is very important. I redesign the classics. But in doing that, I become very creative in producing new styles, new ideas. I design around themes, such as my love for sports or the outdoors, sailing, hiking, fishing - and some of the South Pacific Islands. I take those ideas and put them into the classics."
According to Hilfiger, there is no original apparel design any more. "Everything has been thought of. It's just a matter of how to re-think it and make it desirable for the customer today."
Accordingly, Hilfiger's Spring line, introduced in Las Vegas, is considered a groundbreaking collection that reinterprets classic American sportswear to create a sophisticated, relaxed look for work or weekend. It includes an unexpected color palette that is a significant departure from the traditional "Tommy" red, white and blue.
Some of the inspiration comes from the rugged workwear of French sailors along the Brittany coast and some from the elegant cruisewear worn on transatlantic voyages of the '20s and '30s to the architecture of colonial Singapore.
And Hilfiger is just warming up.
On May 21, through a license with Este Lauder Company, he is introducing his first fragrance, predictably called "Tommy." It will be available in stores in June. He is excited about what he calls a "really new type of scent. It's crisp, pure and fresh. It doesn't have a heavy, spicy effect. It doesn't `leave a trail,' as they say. It's made of All-American ingredients - Cape Cod cranberries, Kentucky blue grass, spearmint, Florida grapefruit - a number of ingredients found in the United States."
He is fully involved in the licensing business and has numerous licenses, including Hartmarx for clothing, sport coats and trousers; Oxford for dress shirts; Superba for neckwear; Trafalgar for belts and leather goods; Mountain High for hosiery; and Jockey for underwear.
He also has a new license for robes and pajamas, boxers and swimwear priced in upper moderate range. The licenses still to come are eyewear, watches and shoes.
As soon as Hilfiger completes his menswear expansion, he is going full tilt into womenswear then into home furnishings. "Reaching out and decorating one's entire life - that's what I'm interested in doing. I think decorating homes would be very challenging. No designer has yet done that - but why not?"
Hilfiger has no interest in taking part in any of the home shopping shows, although he predicts the catalog business will become totally electronic in the future. He is seriously considering starting his own TV channel, "because just being part of a show would be limiting."
Why has Hilfiger been so successful?
"I surround myself with great people."