Backstage at the Tommy Hilfiger Spring ’20 show, the message of inclusivity and diversity was clear. Models of all ages and races; Naomi Campbell, Halima Aden, Jordan Dunn, Luka Sabbat were among the colorful lineup and Pat McGrath brought her magic to the show, matching the bright and bold pieces with natural dewy makeup.
The brand took things to a different level with its return to London Fashion Week this season presenting a 12-piece collaborative collection with Grammy-nominated artist H.E.R, as well as, the fourth TommyXLewis Hamilton collection.
The collection, which is the brand’s most sustainable collection yet, stuck to the usual Tommy Hilfiger aesthetic; iconic street style wear but with fresh additions from both collaborators – H.E.R brought a younger, tom-boyish vibe to the mix. Pieces were made with 100% organic cotton, recycled materials, down alternatives and low-impact denim washes.
After seven seasons traveling the world, the experiential runway event was focused on inclusivity and diversity with a key message of what fashion and runway should look like.
Just before the show, BellaNaija founder Uche Pedro who was present at the show had a chance to discuss with the designer backstage and he explained that the main message for the TOMMYNOW show was to actively promote style for all.
He said
We have a couple of messages, but the big message is fashion for all. As an inclusive brand; models from multiple backgrounds, all different sizes, all different ages, we are also working towards becoming fully sustainable. Right now we are about 75% sustainable and with the Lewis Hamilton collaboration, we are really pushing towards it using recycled fabrics using yards that are made from waste, we are washing without water, we are doing all sorts of things that we feel are going to make a difference with the earth. At the same time, we are doing a three-way collaboration with Musician H.E.R, Lewis and myself.
No one can deny the impact of collaborations and the Tommy brand is no stranger to big celebrity collaborations, TommyXZendaya, TommyxGigi to name a few, we asked why the brand chose to go with H.E.R for this collaboration.
We think H.E.R is the next big R&B star and we’ve I think had a knack for discovering talent before they get really really big and I would say H.E.R is going to be really one of the big stars in the music scene, so for us to be able to collab with her and to really expand our brand into genderless, into unisex and into sustainability is very unique because we have a three-way collab which we’ve never had before.
We absolutely loved the diversity and inclusivity we observed backstage. Models of different ages, body shapes, races and more. The designer concluded by telling us about some continuous plans for inclusivity and diversity, especially in Africa.
Africa for us is wide open. We plan on opening stores in Africa, we plan on sourcing fabrics in Africa, we plan on manufacturing in Africa, for us, it is the next big continent for us to explore and do business in a big way.