To commemorate his brand's
10th anniversary in India, we caught up with design guru Tommy Hilfiger
to find out more about the Indian chapter and the road ahead
Relaxed and amicable, Tommy
Hilfiger looked every bit happy and elated with the celebrations of
his brand's 10-year-old stint in India.Speaking about his longstanding
association with the country, he reminisces about his first visit and
says, “I visited India in 1979 and have been coming eversince.India is
much more modern and sophisticated now; everything is on another level
and is world-class.“
EXCERPTS: Looking back
It's been 10 years in India.When we came here, we were one of the first designer brands to enter and the business has grown unbelievably over the years.Lovers of the brand here are no different than in any other city in the world, be it London or New York. I find the young generation here very fashionable in a cool sense and becoming more stylish and suave. Fashion is an evolving cycle and it's moving ahead quickly.Sometimes we look back into films, music or history for ideas and inspiration, but making a modern effort today is the key.
Tryst with India
I love the traditional saris and kurta pajamas. They are very special and are worn for special occasions, so can be called occasionwear. Indian fashion, currently, is here to stay when it comes to traditional wear. However, the younger generation is now willing to experiment. Today, in every single collection, we are infusing some Indian influence, especially Indian prints or colours. Paisleys are my favourite; we use them very often in our collections, besides many other India-inspired motifs.As India loves colours, we have a palette of colours like purple, orange, yellow, etc., too which are a part of the Indian heritage. The influence largely comes from saris and Jaipur; I am dying to go visit Jaipur and Goa sometime at leisure.
Talking business
Fashion is a big business worldwide. Indian designers have to reach the international stage and have to become more market savvy.I personally feel that Indian designers have an edge over other designers in the world as they have everything at their fingertips--incredible jewellery-making, shoe manufacturing facilities, best fabrics and accessories, tailors, and factories. We come to India for a large gamut of operations, such as embroidery, manufacturing of clothes, handloom cottons and export a lot too. In future, we plan to get merchandise for homes for our Indian customers too.
Advice for designers
It's important to have an individual or a signature look. You will soon disappear if you don't stand out as something special in the world of fashion.
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