Fashion collaboration brings NASCAR-inspired looks

Gigi Hadid and Tommy Hilfiger use their final collaboration to race toward style.

By Cris Rojo

Designer Tommy Hilfiger and model Gigi Hadid were calling all pit crew and were ready to race, as the two unveiled their final collaborative collection, “Tommy x Gigi,” at 8 p.m. Central European time Feb. 25 in Milan.

The sports themed collection debuted and was livestreamed for the public on social platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, as well as the official Tommy Hilfiger website.

The collection followed in the footsteps of other brands, such as Fenty collaboration with Rihanna, Puma and Ralph Lauren, by showcasing the all-American brand designer’s love for motorsports and Hadid’s personal fast-paced lifestyle. Hilfiger and Hadid’s race car-ready collection embraced racing stripe prints, embroidered racer logos and graphic badges to create the perfect athleisure collection for shoppers this spring and summer.

The show opened with Hadid strutting down a racetrack-inspired runway in black and blue striped leather pants and a white cropped top reading “TH x GH” topped off with a finish line-inspired choker and black block-heeled booties.

Following Hadid, other models wore similar navy, red and white prints through leather pencil skirts, NASCAR themed cropped tops and revived the ’90s through red plastic looking visors. One staple that turned many heads were the crop top leather jackets encased with blocks of those same three colors.

The sporty jackets were paired with baggy gray dress pants and fitted leather bike shorts and leggings throughout the show. The collection premised heavily on windbreakers, which came in many sizes starting with more fitted pieces to cape-like fits flowing behind models. The collaboration also made a play on oversized American flag themed hoodies and shirts, bound to be collectibles now that Hadid’s partnership with Hilfiger is over.

The swimwear looks included in the collection featured red and navy stripes, as well as checkered white and navy patterns topped with grey pit crew-inspired bomber jackets with navy sleeves and embroidered with race car patches and kimonos. The swimwear selection included checkered two pieces and red long-sleeved crop tops.

The collection, like previous shows, included menswear. The collection featured men’s navy windbreaker jackets with a block white detailing on the sleeves and red collars. The windbreakers were paired with military print fanny packs and plain leather navy shorts. The collaboration offered male shoppers official Hilfiger polos, which were designed in ’90s geometric patterns, and simple white dress shirts with graphics, which were topped with green bomber jackets.

The show closed on a formal note with models walking in a variety of black and white striped dresses and minimal navy dresses with white belts to accentuate curves. The collection used oversized striped dress shirts in navy and reds. Following behind Hadid were models who were decorated in beautifully tailored sheer skirts. The skirts exhibited light geometric prints and black fonts reading “Tommy” and “Gigi.”

After four consecutive seasons of creating collaborations, the final installment of the “Tommy X Gigi” collection is one worth shopping this spring and summer. The “show now – buy now” collection is available to shoppers on the official Tommy Hilfiger website.