Tommy’s Girl

He’s the godfather of preppy, Americana sports apparel. She’s the actress and singer with an Instagram following of 53 million. Now, Tommy Hilfiger and Zendaya are joining forces for her first foray into design. (And it’s not just for the size 8 gang…) Tracy Ramsden joins them in New York for an exclusive chat

‘I drew the “Z” and the “T” on a piece of paper and we had it stitched on to the bootay of the jeans,’ Zendaya explains excitedly, as we walk through her new collection – a collaboration with US designer and the man who redefined streetwear in the 90s, Tommy Hilfiger. As stylist Law Roach, who has worked with Zendaya since she was 13, tells us, ‘Everyone grew up wanting a Tommy sweatshirt.’ Today, the collection is a far cry from the logo sweats and baggy denim that became synonymous with urban cool, thanks to the likes of Destiny’s Child, TLC and Aaliyah. There’s silk, leather and, of course, denim (albeit in the form of sharp suiting and feminine tailoring). Look closely, though, and the new range is still reassuringly loyal to the brand’s history. The red, white and blue remains, but in more muted tones of off-white, indigo blue and deep burgundy. ‘I wanted something that looked worn, not too fresh,’ says Zendaya.

We’re in a lofty warehouse space in a New York hotel for an exclusive look at the 74-piece collaboration between the veteran designer and woman-of-the moment Zendaya, star of blockbuster movies The Greatest Showman and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Following in the footsteps of Gigi Hadid, Winnie Harlow and Hailey Baldwin, the 22-year-old star represents the next generation of Tommy girls. ‘We’d been watching Zendaya for a few years and we’re always looking for collaborators who are in the right place at the right time,’ explains Hilfiger. ‘She’s an advocate for strong women. We had tremendous success with Gigi [Hadid], and our radar is up – always watching who is important in pop culture. You can’t just hire someone to be the face of an ad campaign because that’s not authentic; they have to have a passion for fashion.’