For his fall 2016 show last year, Tommy Hilfiger turned New York Fashion Week into a carnival, complete with arcade games and a 40-foot Ferris wheel. In addition to hosting Taylor Swift front row, the show was also open to the public, with thousands of tickets distributed to fashion enthusiasts. The following season, the designer took his show on the road to Los Angeles for “Tommyland,” a Venice Beach extravaganza of similar proportions. And for his fall 2017 show on Tuesday, Tommy Hilfiger traveled across the pond for “Tommy Now,” a “rock circus” at the Roundhouse in London. Rather than burgers and cotton candy, fish and chips were served.
Each season since fall 2016, Tommy Hilfiger has also collaborated with Gigi Hadid on a see-now-buy-now collection, and the supermodel was joined by her siblings, Bella and Anwar Hadid, as well as her boyfriend, Zayn Malik, in London on Tuesday night. Cameron Dallas, Lucky Blue Smith, Presley Gerber, and Hailey Baldwin also walked the runway. Meanwhile, K-Pop stars; Kate Moss’s younger sister, Lottie Moss; and Anaïs Gallagher, the daughter of British rock star Liam Gallagher, all cheered front row.
Gigi Hadid opened the show wearing jean shorts, thigh-high socks, and a plaid coat, a reference to both Tommy Hilfiger’s American tartan roots and the historic British check print, which we also saw at Burberry this week. The collection as a whole included lots of British rock and roll motifs with leather jackets, Chelsea boots, and chain chokers. There were also plays on concert merch with “Tommy Tour 2017” and “Gigi Hadid” written in the classic AC/DC font (which was recently adopted by Justin Bieber.)
Following the show, actual circus performers took the stage, and the American EDM-pop group the Chainsmokers came on to sing covers of Smash Mouth and the Backstreet Boys. Not exactly classic rock bands — but very on brand.
Hilfiger himself has a long history with music. He opened his first store, the People’s Place, as a teenager inspired by the bell-bottom jeans and fringe of Woodstock in 1969, as well as the emerging British rock scene in America. In the ’90s, Tommy Hilfiger was also the brand of choice for hip-hop and R&B stars like Snoop Dogg, Destiny’s Child, and Aaliyah.
As a music-obsessed 18-year-old, Tommy Hilfiger probably never would have imagined that he’d be hosting a “rock circus” Instagram extravaganza of his own in London. But in 2017, it’s all about peace, love, and selfies.
