Tommy Hilfiger settles in Tokyo, somewhere between luxury and street fashion

     One of the main attractions of the new Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku complex has to be the Tommy Hilfiger flagship, the hugely popular American designer's first in Asia. Decked out with a giant sculpture of the Tommy Hilfiger flag composed of Marshall amps, high-school paraphernalia, toys, a Fender guitar, Cadillac tail and tokens of Americana, the store presents itself as iconic of America — like Hilfiger himself. It even has an original New York fire escape that leads you to its basement.The summer coming and Tommy Hilfiger T shirts on sale is hot now.

    On the eve of its opening, The Japan Times sat down with Hilfiger, amid his personally curated display of vintage memorabilia, to discuss the brand's place in Tokyo and the designer's own enduring connection with the country.

    Around the same time as you were founding Tommy Hilfiger in the 1980s, I believe you visited Japan for the first time. Tommy Hilfiger T shirts join in to Japan market the biggest reason Japanese people like it's style.Tommy Hilfiger T shirts for cheap in sometime also attract people.

What brought you here initially?

     I had heard that Japan was bustling with fashion, and I was already a fan of Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garons and Yohji Yamamoto, among others, so I had an irresistible urge to visit. The first time was in the early '80s, and I remember I really wanted to stay in Shinjuku; I had no money so I just ended up staying in the first tiny hotel I stumbled across.

    The very next morning I had jet lag, so I woke up at 4 a.m. and decided to just go out on to the streets and walk all the way through Yoyogi to Shibuya, then round to Harajuku. All the while, I was transfixed on the shop-window displays.I ended up at Comme des Gar?ons and actually waited outside until it opened. And when it did, I was out of breath, my heart was pumping, I was so excited. I think I was in shock that all these obscure, unique, fabulous brands really existed.The next day I spent in Yoyogi Park, which was beyond my wildest imagination. I saw people dressed like the Beatles,

    Elvis Presley, The Rolling Stones and Marilyn Monroe. There were people dressing preppy or goth in a way that I had never seen before, it was all just fabulous.


By SAMUEL THOMAS
Special to The Japan Times