CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN

Cast your minds back to February of this year when we selected TheIdleman.com ‘s Thom Scherdel to take us through his selection of the must have pieces for Spring 2015.  TheIdleman is a relatively new comer to the world of e-commerce only, virtually, excuse the pun, launching a year ago under the learned and watchful eye of CEO Oliver Tezcan, ex-head of men’s brands at ASOS. Since then, it has been establishing its reputation and building its brand portfolio, which culminates  with the launch of their own debut capsule collection.

What started out as small range of T-shirts and accessories at the end of last year has grown into a considered line-up of key pieces and timeless staples designed to form the basis of a contemporary, stylish guy’s wardrobe.  The capsule collection features a selection of outerwear, jersey sweatshirts and hoodies, knitwear, long and short sleeve shirts, T-shirts, swimwear, shorts and accessories.

Scherdel explained to us, “ We wanted our first collection to be a real base layer of products for our customers, we have made sure most wardrobe staples are covered and worked hard on perfecting them and getting them out at an accessible price. It’s all simple and considered pieces and the plan to is keep layering on fashion and trend pieces as time goes on “

For 30 years, Tommy Hilfiger has been selling the American dream, classic, cool, crisp apparel to consumers around the world. His designs give time-honored classics a fresh look. With Hilfiger’s guidance, vision and leadership as principal designer, the Tommy Hilfiger Group has become one of very few globally-recognised designer brands.

Born the second of nine children in Elmira, New York, Hilfiger’s career in fashion began as a high school student in 1969, when he opened a small chain of stores called People’s Place with just $150. His goal was to bring “cool big city styles” from New York to his friends in their small town in upstate New York. Hilfiger soon began designing for the boutiques he had always admired, and in 1979 he moved to New York City to pursue a career as a full-time fashion designer. There, he caught the eye of Mohan Murjani, a businessman who was looking to launch a line of men’s clothing and believed that Hilfiger’s entrepreneurial background gave him the unique ability to approach men’s fashion in a new way. With Murjani’s support, Hilfiger introduced his first signature collection in 1985 by modernising button-down shirts, chinos, and other time-honored classics with updated fits and details. The relaxed, youthful attitude of his first designs has remained a distinctive hallmark throughout all of Hilfiger’s subsequent collections.

Soon after saw the introduction of Tommy Hilfiger Collection, men’s tailored, Hilfiger Denim, men’s and women’s sportswear, childrenswear, bodywear, footwear, accessories and licensed products such as watches, jewelry, eyewear and fragrance.

Through his creative efforts as a designer and in working on a series of bold marketing campaigns, Hilfiger has shaped and developed lasting relationships with a wide range of cultural influencers and trendsetters. In 1985, Hilfiger hired legendary ad man George Lois to develop a billboard for the center of New York’s Times Square. The now famous “hangman ad” ignited the designer’s career and launched a dynamic and productive relationship between Hilfiger and Lois. In 2007, they collaborated on the book Iconic America: A Roller-Coaster Ride through the Eye-Popping Panorama of American Pop Culture, which presents a mosaic of over 400 iconic and iconoclastic images from the melting pot of America. In the 1990s, Hilfiger became a pioneer in the industry by featuring emerging musical talent in his advertising campaigns, and his tradition of fusing music and fashion continues today.

Hilfiger’s diverse achievements in business, retail and fashion have earned him a variety of distinguished awards. In 1998, Parsons School of Design in New York City honored him with their Designer of the Year award, as have GQ magazine, countless times all over the world, for their annual “Men of the Year” issue. In 1995 he was named Menswear Designer of the Year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

However, it’s not all about fashion, style and trends with Hilfiger, in 2009, he went on to receive the respected UNESCO Support Award for his philanthropic efforts throughout the years and launched The Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation in 1995 to enrich the physical and intellectual well-being of youth, with a major emphasis on education and cultural programs. Which In 2013, all Foundation activities around the world aligned under the global banner of Tommy Cares, which supports Save the Children, the World Wildlife Fund, War Child, Breast Health International (BHI), and Millennium Promise globally.

To celebrate his brand’s 30th anniversary, he presented his Autumn 15 fashion show in Beijing. The exclusive recreation of the runway show, including looks from the men’s and women’s collections.

“I am thrilled to be in China for this next stop on our 30^th anniversary tour, following our events in New York and Paris earlier this year,” said Hilfiger. “Recreating the show in an international setting for the first time has been a terrific way to celebrate the opening of our largest store in China and the 30^th anniversary of our global brand. Our fashion shows create an immersive guest experience that really brings the collections to life, and it has been an honor to be able to share this experience with a wider audience in China.”

Debuted at New York Fashion Week in February, the Fall 2015 collection fuses American football, stadium spirit and varsity motifs with Hilfiger’s classic designs. Reflecting on the 30-year heritage of his brand, the collection plays with the established codes of American fashion, luxuriously reimagined with a modern athletic twist.