It’s going to be a busy summer for Tommy Hilfiger.
The designer has already visited Saint-Tropez, Monaco, Sardinia and Capri, and that’s before he heads to Florence to host a cocktail party and presentation at Pitti Uomo for top customers and influencers.
The creation of the Hilfiger Social Club on Tuesday — which he described as “a one-night takeover bringing the New York members’ club culture to an historic Florentine setting” — marks his return to the menswear show after an eight-year absence. It will also serve as the debut of the New York Collection.
The new premium collection is part of the pinnacle offering from the brand. It will include a new navy penny crest to distinguish it from the sportswear line. The goal is to sell New York through key wholesale partners for the February 2026 launch as well as at top Tommy Hilfiger doors and on the company’s e-commerce site.
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“The ‘New York’ line is a modern twist on our heritage icons and the classic prep wardrobe,” Hilfiger said. “We’ve called it the New York Collection because I always love to start a new chapter by going back to my roots and the DNA of the brand. The new navy label brings back our lion penny crest that I created when I first launched the brand in 1985 and used in our Tailoring line for the first time in 1993.”
In a telephone interview from Capri, Hilfiger added: “American style has always been popular. It’s effortlessly cool and shaped by the icons of film, music and pop culture. It carries a sense of ease and confidence. It feels timeless.”
Hilfiger said the New York Collection is “focused on more dressy casual,” looks that are “very relevant worldwide.”
And while some of the pieces are eminently recognizable and have been part of the Tommy Hilfiger assortment for years — the navy blazer, chinos, repp tie and trenchcoat — “we’re elevating the brand,” he said. “It’s becoming something different through evolution. It’s more sophisticated: dressy but still casual.”
He said his favorite pieces include “the navy lightweight suit in Air-dot performance fabrics, the club blazer in rich cool wools and textured linens, piece-dyed suit separates in our red, ivory and midnight navy brand colors and the polo knitted in silk blends in our archival Breton stripes. It’s modern heritage reimagined for today’s consumer.”
He said the colors — yes, red, white and blue are mainstays — as well as the subtle details are “very easy to wear.”
And while Americana references are infused throughout, Hilfiger believes its appeal goes beyond U.S. borders.
“Europeans, especially the Italians, have a natural flair for style, but they love American style,” he said. “We keep moving ahead, we keep evolving and expanding the collection to focus more on dressy casual and that’s very relevant worldwide.”
He continued: “I’ve always had a love for dressed-up style. When I started out 40 years ago, I was inspired by traditional Savile Row tailoring but put an American twist on it, which was more relaxed and effortless. Now that the world is dressing up again, it is the perfect time to return to Pitti Uomo and introduce a new chapter in our menswear story.”
He said this focus on more dressy looks reflects a change in consumer sentiment. “It always comes back to the consumer. We’re seeing men move away from the casualization of the past few years as they are looking for more sophistication and elevation that is still relaxed and fun. I love that dressing up is back.”
The collection that will be shown at Pitti will be exclusively menswear, a category that Hilfiger said continues to represent the biggest part of his $9 billion global business. “Menswear has been a mainstay for us for many, many years,” he said. “Men’s is still the anchor for us. We have men’s collection and Tommy Jeans. We have casual and sportier looks and now more elevated looks.”
Hilfiger said he hasn’t actually returned to Florence since his line was last shown there in 2017. But he has fond memories of the city and is eager to go back.
“Florence is one of the most beautiful cities,” he said. He singled out some of his favorite spots including myriad art galleries, the garden at the Four Seasons, the Museo Ferragamo, the Cibreo Ristorante, which he deemed “a classic,” and the Palazzo San Niccolo hotel with its secret gardens.
And of course, he also likes to take in the shops in the city. “I like shopping all the different stores and the ambience,” he said.
But while Florence and Pitti are front of mind right now, Hilfiger has a lot of other things on his plate, notably Formula 1. The designer just signed a multiyear partnership to become the official apparel brand of the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, the first new addition to the racing competition since 2016.
“It’s exciting — Cadillac is the first American team to go into Formula 1,” he said.
“Fashion and motorsports are really coming together with a lot of cinematic storytelling,” he continued. “I call it ‘fashiontainment’ and it’s the perfect moment to define the new era of American motorsports.”
Although Formula 1 is already popular, with an estimated 826.5 million fans, it’s expected to draw in even more enthusiasts when the Brad Pitt and Damson Idris movie, “F1,” opens at the end of the month. “The races are incredible and the movie is very authentic,” Hilfiger said, adding that its producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, is known for his action films such as “Top Gun,” so this new project is high energy and “thrilling.”
In the run-up to the film, Hilfiger created APXGP, a limited-edition F1 apparel collection that’s been quite successful, with Hilfiger brand ambassador Idris.
The APXGP Collection is designed for Formula 1 fans to wear beyond the track. The collection features moto-emblazoned mechanic shirts, a varsity-meets-moto jacket in vegan leather, tailored Japanese denim jeans and a merino knit polo. A red quilted jacket modeled after the exact silhouette worn by Idris’ character in the film is also offered.
Because he’s been so immersed in Pitti Uomo and F1, Hilfiger said he hasn’t yet decided on his plans for New York Fashion Week in September.
“Our shows and experiential events are a huge part of how we bring the brand to life — and that won’t change,” he said. “When it came to launching the New York men’s collection, Pitti felt like the perfect fit. It gives us the chance to blend our New York DNA with the tradition and craftsmanship of Pitti Uomo’s menswear heritage.”
