NEW YORK (AP) – Tommy Hilfiger loves celebrating New York City and its landmarks. He also loves a nautical theme – and a big surprise.
So for his New York Fashion Week show, the designer brought all those elements together in his typically splashy way, inviting guests aboard a decommissioned ferry boat and giving them not only a runway show but a rap-filled finale.
“We’re inspired by nautical this season,” Hilfiger told The Associated Press (AP) before the show. “But it’s nautical, preppy, collegiate, all-American and modern. So we needed to show it either on the water, on a boat or near the water. Then we found out the Staten Island Ferry was available.”
The boat, called the John F Kennedy, served as a Staten Island Ferry until it was decommissioned in 2021. It was bought the following year by investors including actor-comedian Pete Davidson and Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost, who both grew up in the New York City borough.
“We are really the first people to utilise it (the ferry) for an event,” Hilfiger said. “We’re really excited.”
Hilfiger’s Spring 2025 collection featured nautical style stripes “inspired by sailing heritage,” the label explained, and casual styles like capri pants and oversized knits.
There were Hilfiger’s much-loved varsity jackets, trench coats, club blazers, and polos.
Accessories included bandanas around the neck. “It’s the New American Prep wardrobe,” the label said in a statement, “fusing vibrant Ivy League style with everyday coastal functionality.”
