Tommy Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
He started his career in the 1970s by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People’s Place in upstate New York.
Hilfiger’s collections are often influenced by the fashion of music subcultures and marketed in connection with the music industry, with celebrities such as American R&B artist Aaliyah in the 1990s.
In 2006, he sold his company for $1.6 billion to Apax Partners, who next sold it in 2010 to Phillips-Van Heusen for $3 billion.
Hilfiger’s remains the company’s principal designer, leading the design teams and overseeing the entire creative process.
Siblings
Hilfiger has four siblings, namely Andy Hilfiger, Ginny Hilfiger, Billy Hilfiger and Betsy Hilfiger.
Andy is a businessman in the fashion industry and a musician.
He is known for being the creative director of Andrew Charles, a rock ‘n’ roll inspired fashion line.
Another brother, Billy, was part of the band King Flux in the 1980s, where he played alongside Richie Stotts of the Plasmatics and Marky Ramone.
Ginny has her own fashion line called Ginny H.
Fashion career
Hilfiger started his career in the 1970s by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People’s Place in upstate New York.
In the 1980s, he began designing preppy clothing for his own menswear line and later expanded into women’s clothing and various luxury items like perfumes.
In 1984, Hilfiger was approached by businessman Mohan Murjani to pursue his goal of designing and heading a men’s sportswear line.
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Murjani backed the investment for Hilfiger to establish his own brand, the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, which launched in 1985.
Hilfiger’s collections were often influenced by music subcultures and marketed in connection with the music industry, collaborating with celebrities like Aaliyah in the 1990s.
The company went public in 1992 and Hilfiger was named Menswear Designer of the Year by the CFDA in 1995.
Selling Tommy Hilfiger
In 2006, Hilfiger sold his eponymous fashion company to private equity firm Apax Partners for $1.6 billion.
After the sale, Hilfiger remained as the company’s principal designer, leading the design teams and overseeing the creative process.
In 2010, Apax Partners then sold the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation to Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) for $3 billion.
PVH, a major apparel conglomerate that owns brands like Calvin Klein, saw the acquisition of Tommy Hilfiger as an opportunity to expand the brand globally and leverage its strong brand recognition.
Under PVH’s ownership, Tommy Hilfiger has continued to grow and evolve, with a focus on digital transformation initiatives like the launch of a pioneering digital showroom.
Personal life
Hilfiger’s family life has been a significant part of his personal journey. His first marriage was to Susie Carona from 1980 to 2000.
Together, they had four children including Ally Hilfiger, born in 1994, who is a well-known fashion designer, author and television personality, and has been open about her struggles with Lyme disease.
Their other children are Rich Hilfiger who was born in 2001, Elizabeth Hilfiger, born in 2006 and Katherine Hilfiger, born in 2008, who is the youngest child.
Hilfiger’s second marriage is to Dee Ocleppo, whom he married in 2008.
Together, they have three children, Sebastian Hilfiger, born in 2009, who is the first child of Tommy and Dee Ocleppo, and two other children whose names are not widely publicized.
