The same designer who culls inspiration from fetishism, Mod subculture and traditional British design has set his sights on classic American fashion.
Richard Quinn, the recipient of 2018’s inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design, and Tommy Hilfiger dropped a co-designed gender inclusive capsule collection ahead of the PVH Corp-owned brand’s return to New York Fashion Week.
The 40-look collection mixes Quinn’s signature use of bold pattern and exaggerated silhouettes with Hilfiger’s iconic take on American classics including varsity jackets, chinos, leather jackets and 5-pocket jeans. The collection also includes six sized-down styles for kids sizes 4-14.
“Tommy and I share the same obsession for prints and textiles, so it was a natural joy to balance and combine our visions for this collaboration,” Richard Quinn said in a statement. “It was inspiring to dive into Tommy’s archives and find the iconic pieces that became the canvases for our co-creation. We pushed ourselves to be dramatic and vibrant with every detail—in the pursuit of progress—and the final pieces do not disappoint.”
Designs examine American “cultural archetypes” such as the punk, explorer, cheerleader and jock while incorporating hallmarks from both labels.
“Experimental mismatching,” playful prints and shifts in the scale of repeated motifs co-mingle with printed stretch velour, high-density twills and elevated knits and delavé denim fabrics. Denim highlights include a catsuit, jeans, jacket and boots. Classic tailoring in Scottish Tartan and an English rose pattern appear on formal trousers and outerwear.
Outerwear, in general, takes center stage in the collection with reversible puffer coats and a varsity jacket decorated with unique motifs combining Quinn’s daisy with emblems of collegiate style.
The collection is available now on Tommy Hilfiger’s website and in select boutiques including Printemps, Selfridges, KaDeWe, Antonia, Deliberti and Folli Follie.
“I’ve always been inspired by working with creatives who push boundaries, and Richard is no exception,” Tommy Hilfiger said. “We’ve brought together our two distinct aesthetics to create a rebellious take on modern prep. It’s unexpected and optimistic and reflects the playful spirit at the heart of both our brands.”
Tommy Hilfiger’s new ‘TH’ monogram created with British illustrator and graphic designer Fergus Purcell is featured throughout the capsule collection. The new interlocking T and H design is the focal point of its own separate collection of puffers filled with recycled down and casual wear made with premium wool and recycled yarns.
The Tommy Hilfiger x Richard Quinn collection follows a sold-out Fall 2021 collaboration with Brooklyn-based designer and longtime Tommy Hilfiger mentee Romeo Hunte.
On Sunday, Tommy Hilfiger will present a “see now, buy now” at the Skyline Drive-In in Brooklyn during New York Fashion Week. Described as an “experiential creative playground,” the runway event will “amplify the power of the individual through installations inspired by artist Andy Warhol’s 15-minutes of fame spirit, reimagined for today, uniting guests and models alike within the phygital space,” it said. The catwalk will be live-streamed into the Tommy Play experience on Roblox.