Tommy Hilfiger’s return to the official New York Fashion Week calendar came with exactly the kind of opening moment the brand knows how to stage. Gigi Hadid opened the Spring Summer 2027 show at The Plaza Hotel, stepping onto the runway in a look that immediately set the tone for the collection: loose red trousers, a tan blazer and a navy bucket hat.
It was classic Tommy, but loosened up, brighter and clearly aimed at a younger audience.
Gigi Opens With a New Take on Prep
Hadid’s opening look captured the collection’s central idea, which Hilfiger described as “Prep Made Current.” Rather than revisiting American prep exactly as it was, the collection played with proportion, colour and styling, giving familiar pieces a more relaxed and exaggerated attitude. Oversized polos, pleated trousers, plaid bucket hats and asymmetrical shirts appeared throughout, while the house’s signature red and navy palette was pushed through bolder combinations.
Gigi’s look did that particularly well. The loose red trousers brought movement, while the tan blazer kept the outfit grounded in classic tailoring. The navy bucket hat added a casual, slightly nostalgic touch that stopped the look from feeling too polished.
A Tommy Girl Comes Full Circle
Gigi’s place at the front of the show also felt significant because her relationship with Tommy Hilfiger goes back years. She has been one of the most recognisable faces of the brand’s modern era and has helped define its version of the contemporary “Tommy Girl.”
That made her opening walk feel less like a casting decision and more like a continuation of the brand’s own story.
The setting added another layer. The show took over The Plaza Hotel, a location with personal significance for Hilfiger, who once lived there with his wife Dee for more than a decade. The brand framed the venue as part of its return to New York and as a backdrop for a new expression of “Classic American Cool.”
The Collection Was Bright, Playful and Familiar
The rest of the runway stayed close to Hilfiger’s established language, but with enough exaggeration to keep things fresh. There were bold yellows, strong reds, navy, plaid, oversized shapes and fluid dresses, all mixing prep with a looser, more youthful attitude.
The mood extended beyond the clothes too. The show featured a live performance by Slayyyter, while guests included names such as Kate Moss, Camila Cabello and Jisoo, reinforcing the sense that this was as much a New York cultural moment as a runway presentation.
A Strong Opening for Hilfiger’s New York Return
Gigi Hadid opening the show made perfect sense. She carries the polished ease that Tommy Hilfiger has always sold, but she also gives that image a more current, fashion aware edge.
And that was really the point of the collection: take the familiar, loosen it up, sharpen the styling and make it feel relevant again.
