Bizz Buzz: 'Mom Wear' No More

Biz Buzz keeps its fabulously accessorized ear to the ground to provide breaking fashion news coverage.

On Thursday, October 21, Tommy Hilfiger converted a Hilfiger collection store at 375 Bleecker St. in Manhattan, NY into a Tommy boutique. The first in the U.S., Tommy is a new men’s and women’s Hilfiger line that is directed towards a younger audience.

“This is downtown prep. It’s quirkier and younger and more irreverent,” Hilfiger said at the store’s opening on Thursday.

A day earlier, two Tommy boutiques were opened in Toronto. Later this year, two more will open in the U.S., one in White Plains, NY, and one in Georgetown in Washington, DC. In the spring, merchandise will be available on tommy.com.

According to an article in Women’s Wear Daily, Hilfiger describes the traditional Tommy Hilfiger line as more ‘uptown’, ‘grown-up’ and ‘refined’, as the Tommy line should appeal to 20-30 year-olds. Because of the age of the target audience, the clothes are modestly priced, ranging from $24 for knits to $139 for outerwear.

Hilfiger’s release of a brand like Tommy could mean a lot for the company. The traditional Tommy Hilfiger line usually appeals to older audiences, which could mean that younger audiences will be wary to try out the new Tommy line. I, for one, usually associate Tommy Hilfiger as clothes worn by my mother’s crowd. However, after leafing through pictures of the new Tommy boutique, I am reminded of the trendy J.Crew, and see no traces of ‘mom wear’. Tommy could be a brilliant way for the Tommy Hilfiger line to appeal to a younger crowd and expand its line.

The Bleecker St. store itself dons a ‘trendy workspace’ theme, in addition to neon furniture.

Currently, the preliminary Tommy stores are just testing the waters for the brand. If the boutiques are successful, then more will surely follow in other U.S. cities.

-Diana Pearl