Tommy Hilfiger remembers just how dressed up men used to get for work back when he launched his namesake label in New York in the 1980s. From Wall Street executives and beyond, it was the true era of power suits. You could easily catch a glimpse of men rocking three-piece suits on a regular Tuesday, and that’s a sartorial focus that the designer feels is on the brink of a comeback today. “As time went on, men became more casual, but I think we’re now returning to it,” said Hilfiger.
A standard dress shirt and slacks may be the business go-to these days (or, if you’re working from home or at a startup, you can get away with wearing athleisure while you’re on the clock). But for Hilfiger’s new fall collection, the designer wanted to imagine a world where menswear is veering extremely sharp again. “This is a New York collection, and it’s a little more dressed up,” he said. “Young men who never really wore suits are now dying to own their first suit. I think they’ve seen movies, or photographs of their fathers or grandfathers wearing suits.”
Of course, Hilfiger has always been a quintessential American (and New York) brand, so his classic sense of Americana peeked through as well. Designing in his signature shades of red, white, and blue, Hilfiger wanted to elevate his daily offerings by juxtaposing rigid tailoring with preppier, off-duty elements. His fall coats were a real standout. There were styles like a cashmere-wool double-breasted pea coat, “designed a little boxier than before,” he said. A great Scottish tweed overcoat with peaked lapels nodded to 1940s silhouettes.
Hilfiger also went all-in on camel hues, designing sumptuous coats and suits in the timeless neutral shade. “You can wear camel with everything—from burgundy to navy,” he said. “I like to break it up.” It looked especially dapper on a hefty toggle coat, paired with a navy suit, collared shirt, and striped tie. The suit was made in a more technical wool that “you can toss in any environment, and it will not wrinkle,” said Hilfiger. Because if gents today are going to dress up, they still need it to be extremely easy.
Even his more casual pieces had details that made them feel just a little more luxurious and sleek. The striped rugby polos and cable knit sweaters, for example, were made in soft cashmeres. Denim staples, like jeans or a button-up, were also styled with double-breasted loafers and penny loafers—a more cool, off-duty look. Those are all wardrobe staples that, frankly, you can walk into any store and find today—but one must also remember that Hilfiger was one of the early pioneers of such modern, wearable pieces, and he can still do them damn well.
