Designer Tommy Hilfiger champions adaptive, inclusive fashion

US designer Tommy Hilfiger shares his vision of inclusivity on his first visit to Australia.

They’ve got his back: clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger with models Kristen Apollos and Mun Mun. Picture: Ryan Osland

Fashion’s favourite disruptor, Tommy Hilfiger, was inspired to cater to a “forgotten” customer base with his range of adaptive clothing.

In Australia for the first time, the American designer told of his understanding of the area, which comes from having children with autism, including his 24-year-old daughter “who cannot really button a button and … zip a zipper”.

He said having children with special needs had “opened his heart” to helping others. “This consumer has been forgotten and ignored,” Hilfiger said. “And I’m still perplexed as to why nobody’s done it before.”

Initially launched for children in 2016, Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive has expanded to a range of fashionable clothing for people with disabilities, including amputees and wheelchair users and those with dexterity and sensory issues caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and autism.

Some of the details in his collection include magnetic buttons and Velcro for fastenings, slits in trouser legs to allow for leg braces, wider armholes and necklines on pullovers, and slip-on sneakers with laces just for visual effect.

According to a report by Coresight Research, this year the global­ adaptive fashion market is expected to reach $US288.7bn ($422.3bn); by 2023, that could reach $US350bn.

Adaptive fashion has been largely ignored by mainstream fashion companies, although brands to have later intro­duced lines of adaptive clothing include Target, Nike and Asos.

This move by Hilfiger pushes his vision of inclusivity in fashion.

“The world is made up of ­people from all different backgrounds in all different shapes and all different colours, and I want to be a democratic brand.”

The designer, whose 34-year-old brand is best known for its logo-covered sportswear, denim and preppy tailoring, is here on a two-day visit for consumer events in Sydney and Melbourne.

Acknowledging the bushfire crisis, he has donated 5000 items of clothing to those affected by the disaster. “We thought we should leave a footprint here and do something that is somewhat charitable and memorable to help those who are suffering.”

Hilfiger’s visit was prompted by the “double digit” growth of the Australian market in recent years. “The business is at a point where there’s a lot of momentum. We’re opening more stores, we’re expanding the brand, we’re energising the brand.,” he said