'My first line was made in Mumbai'

Tommy Hilfiger talks about the importance of India in his fashion, his design process and style

- Dhara Vora Sabhnani

Tommy Hilfiger, the designer famous for his signature American preppy design aesthetic, was in India earlier this week for a media event in Mumbai. During an interview with Lounge at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, Hilfiger, 74, who's marking 40 years of his brand this year, talked about his association with India, his love for classics and personal style. Edited excerpts:

You are returning to India after a decade. What role has India played in the Tommy Hilfiger journey?

My first collection was made in Mumbai, near Juhu Beach, in 1979. I was a young boy then, thinking that I could become a designer or create a collection of clothes. I sketched everything and worked with Indian fabrics and tailors to develop a collection. I stood there while they cut and sewed, and then took it to New York City in a duffel bag and sold it to different shops and stores. This was after People's Place (his first store), I started a brand called Tommy Hill because I thought people couldn't pronounce Hilfiger. And then I found out the name was registered, and I couldn't use it.

So I went into business with an Indian gentleman, Mohan Murjani, and we created Tommy Hilfiger. (Indian fabrics and design) have always been a part of the Tommy Hilfiger aesthetic.

What makes Indian design relevant beyond fashion?

The handicraft industry in India is second to none. The hand embroideries, hand beadings, wood carving, home furnishings like carpeting, curtains, pillows, furniture, jewellery—it's endless.