“The loose reinterpretation of Old Glory on a fuzzy sweater” Vogue.com mentioned for this lookbook Spring/Summer 2018 by Tommy Hilfiger, who didn’t make it for New York Fashion Week.
by NICOLE PHELPS Come September, Tommy Hilfiger will combine his men’s and women’s collections in one giant see-now-buy-now roadshow. The location will be London, with potential stops further east in Europe and even farther flung in future seasons. But Hilfiger’s been one of the great exporters of the American dream since his earliest days in the business. The men’s collection he showed at Pitti Uomo fits the profile. There was a loose reinterpretation of Old Glory on a fuzzy sweater. Bigger picture, team Hilfiger used camouflage, patch-working it on rugged nylon shirts and tees that look like they could do double-duty as rainproof outerwear. To be sure, there were also riffs on the red, white, and blue rugbies that count as his first signature—sans logos, though, which looks like a missed opportunity given that they are absolutely everywhere at the moment, and the company’s long history of using them.
Beyond all-American tropes and brand signatures, the development here was in keeping with the trend seen elsewhere on the men’s runways for bigger, baggier pants. Ask a retailer and they’ll tell you: menswear is experiencing an upsurge, and American and international brands are reworking the look Hilfiger put his stamp on back in the day. Uniting the guys with Gigi and co. in London could kick this collection into gear, and renew its relevance with a crowd that is currently turned on to those other labels.
