NEW YORK — Tommy Hilfiger loves celebrating New York City and its iconic landmarks. He also loves nautical themes and big surprises.
So for his New York Fashion Week show on Sunday night, the designer brought all those elements together in his typically flashy style, inviting guests aboard a decommissioned ferry and treating them not just to a runway show but a rap-filled finale.
The live musical performance, which electrified the fashion crowd, featured Ghostface Killah, Method Man and Raekwon of Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan, who strutted around the runways and in the seats while singing. The soundtrack was provided by Questlove, who also DJ’d Hilfiger’s February show at Grand Central Station’s Oyster Bar.
“This season we were inspired by nautical,” Hilfiger told The Associated Press before the show. “But it’s nautical, preppy, collegiate, all-American and modern. So we needed to show it on the water, on a boat or near the water. Then we found out that the Staten Island Ferry was available.”
The ship, named the John F. Kennedy, served as the Staten Island Ferry until it was decommissioned in 2021. It was purchased the following year by investors including actor and comedian Pete Davidson and “Saturday Night Live” star Colin Jost, both of whom grew up in the New York City borough.
“We are actually the first to use it for an event,” Hilfiger said. “We are very excited.”
Jost was thrilled to see the boat being used for the purpose he envisioned. “It’s crazy,” he said. “It’s one of the few days I’ve been on the boat and thought, ‘Oh, this is cool. This is how it can work.'”
“I took this same boat every morning to high school,” Jost added, explaining why he had purchased the boat. “And when it became available, I loved the atmosphere it had.”
Hilfiger’s spring 2025 collection included nautical-style stripes “inspired by sailing heritage,” the brand explained, and casual styles like capri pants and oversized knitwear. There were Hilfiger’s much-loved varsity jackets, trench coats, club blazers and polos. Accessories included scarves around the neck. “It’s the new American high school wardrobe,” the brand said in a statement, “fusing vibrant Ivy League style with everyday coastal functionality.”
Waiters walking between the ferry seats served guests Champagne, beer, hot dogs, soft pretzels and personalized boxes of caramel popcorn with a Hilfiger logo and Statue of Liberty pins inside as prizes.
Brooke Shields was having an emotional evening. Her daughter, Grier, was taking a break from her freshman year of college to appear on her first fashion week runway.
“I was so excited,” Shields said. “It was her first show and this is something she wanted to do. And I said, ‘You have to go to college, but it’s Sunday, so it’s okay.’”
Actors Shay Mitchell and Madelyn Cline were among the fans of the collection.
“Amazing, as always,” Mitchell said. “I want every piece. The accessories were phenomenal. How can you end a show better than he did?”
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