Tommy Hilfiger: Finding His Voice

Freelance Creative Director

When a friend at Grey Advertising invited me to consult on a Tommy Hilfiger ad pitch, I drew on both my industry background and personal connection with Tommy—whom I knew from the gym and who often shared his clothes after learning of my work with The New York Times Magazine fashion pages. I wanted to build on the bold vision set by their first George Lois campaign, which had positioned the brand alongside America’s top fashion names.

Note: some images have been recreated using AI as the originals were either damaged or lost.

The billboard launch by George Lewis in 1985

I asked whether the target leaned toward Calvin Klein’s sleek sophistication or Ralph Lauren’s frefined, all-American style. Their vision aligned more with Ralph Lauren—updated for a younger generation’s values of social justice, diversity, environmental responsibility, and distinctive design. Tommy said “…a younger, affordable Ralph”.

In response, I proposed three creative directions that combined strong graphic elements with different photographic styles to reflect these priorities and suggested partnering with charities like the Human Rights Campaign and the World Wildlife Fund to align with shared values.

Creative Direction: Kevin McPhee