Tommy Hilfiger Featured on Impact 210 (Impact Worldwide)

Impact210 recently had the chance to sit down with Tommy Hilfiger at his Manhattan headquarters and learn more about the pop fashion designer. Relaxed and confident, Hilfiger revealed his favorite celebrities to work with, how he built his empire from the ground up and what projects he's currently developing.

Impact210: How did you build the Tommy Hilfiger empire?
Tommy: It wasn’t a matter of setting out to build an empire. I really wanted to do what made me happy. I started out with no money when I was 18 years old. I did have a dream.I just wanted to make great clothes. And I made great clothes, and people came and started buying them. I opened my first store when I was 18 years old. It became successful and I opened another and another and another, and it just kept growing. But I had a setback. I went bankrupt when I was 25 years old. That taught me a big lesson: To really, really watch the business. Because if you’re not watching the business you can be creative and have great product, but you don’t have the infrastructure and financing and all you needed to build a foundation. So it set me back but I started over. And I thought if I kept my eye on the ball, really worked hard and continued to make great clothes, but keep my eye on the business end of it, I’d be very successful. I didn’t think I’d be as successful as I’ve been. Being as successful as I am now, brings both joy, pleasure, but it’s a lot of work, a lot of responsibility. Not actually exactly what I’d wished for. I thought it would be great to have a business in the US. But now my business is global. It takes a lot of travel and a lot of work. There’s not enough time in life. Time is a valuable commodity. That’s something I don’t have enough of. But it’s still a lot of fun.
Impact210: Have you learned to delegate more?
Tommy: I always delegate as much responsibility as I can. But I wouldn’t want to ease back because I love being a part of it. But I do different things now. I strategize for the future and oversee from 30,000 feet rather than in the fray.
Impact210: What was your goal with the Tommy Hilfiger brand?
Tommy: My mission has always been to connect my brand to pop culture. I love music, entertainment, movies, film. I always thought of connecting my brand to F.A.M.E.: Fashion, Art, Music, Entertainment. Keeping connected to that aspect of life. That’s what fans the fire in life.
Impact210: Who are some of your favorite celebrities to work with?
Tommy: David Bowie and Iman, Beyonce, Mick Jaguar, Lenny Kravitz, Britney Spears.
Impact210: What is it that you look for in a celebrity?
Tommy: Creativity. Always creativity and style.
Impact210: You mentioned your sales are phenomenal abroad.
Tommy: It is global. American style is global. American music is global. Food. Coca-Cola is the same here, Japan, all over the world.
Impact210: Talk about your family.
Tommy: I have four children. I am very connected to my family. I gave a great time with them. Chaos is the order of the day. Living with chaos.
Impact210: What are some of the qualities you instill in them?
Tommy: Respect others the way you want to be respected. Don’t judge people by their color or sex or their financial situation.
Impact210: How about qualities you promote in the office?
Tommy: Respect one another. And we’re very diverse. We have everyone from all different backgrounds here. It’s not like we’re a white company. That’s very important to me.
Impact210: What’s next?
Tommy: To finish developing the lifestyle brand globally. Furniture, home collection. Literally, everything. Marketing as it relates to multi-media is important to me. TV, movies, satellite radio, music. However we can talk to the consumer in a unique way.
Impact210: How was it doing your reality TV show, The Cut?
Tommy: So much fun.

Impact210: Would you do it again?
Tommy: I would do something different. I would do something TV, but not the same type of show. I produced a movie. I’ve done books. It’s fun. Exciting. Challenges. Uniqueness.
Impact210: What is something not many people know about Tommy Hilfiger?
Tommy: I’m very down to earth and normal. And that’s important to me. I never lost sight of where I came from. I came from a family with 8 brothers and sisters and we all had to work and help the family. I learned how to work at a very young age.
Impact210: What would you tell young entrepreneurs?
Tommy: Never give up. That’s my big motto.