For fashion fans from the 1990s, the Tommy Hilfiger symbol was instantly recognizable. The bold flag showed up across tee shirts, sweaters, and jeans, and smaller versions of the flag were attached to classically cut suits and blazers. In modern times, the Tommy Hilfiger logo remains one of the most iconic symbols of American design. Though it has changed slightly over the years, it still evokes nostalgia and references the brand’s heritage. Keep reading to find out all the fascinating details of the Tommy Hilfiger logo’s design and history.
Tommy Hilfiger Logo Design Elements
The Tommy Hilfiger brand technically has two logos. They have their older one that is rarely used now, and they also have the new, modernized version of the logo that shows up on most of the brand’s items. This logo features the brand name, Tommy Hilfiger, written in navy blue letters. The font features san-serif, all-caps letters that are spaced to make both words an equal length. In between the two words is the iconic Tommy Hilfiger symbol. This symbol looks vaguely flag like. It is a landscape-oriented rectangle in red, white, and blue. There is one thick stripe of navy across the top and another across the bottom. The middle portion of the flag is divided into two, smaller rectangles. The left hand middle rectangle is white, and the right hand middle rectangle is red.
Changes and Evolution
Shape
When it was founded in 1985, Tommy Hilfiger logo’s shape was quite similar to the modern one, other than one key difference. This entire logo was just the red, white, and blue brand symbol.
In this old version, the word “Tommy” was written in white lettering on the top navy stripe on the brand symbol, and the word “Hilfiger” was written in the bottom stripe. This logo was later streamlined to feature the brand name more significantly. The modern logo is a more stylish version that moved away from the dated trend of giant pictures for logos.
Color
The Tommy Hilfiger logo has always used a red, white, and blue color design to emphasize its American heritage. It continues to be one of the few fashion brands that is mostly American-based, so the brand has used this color scheme for all logo versions. The only significant color change was that the brand name is now written in blue instead of white.
Font
The new and old logos for Tommy Hilfiger use a very similar font. The only difference is that the font was slightly wider in the old version because it needed to fit neatly within the lines of the brand symbol.
Influences/Inspiration
When the first Hilfiger signature collection was launched in 1985, Hilfiger intended for it to feature classic American designs. Therefore, he decided to create a logo that would mimic the red, white, and blue color scheme of the American flag. Tommy Hilfiger also does some very preppy, nautical inspired designs, so the brand symbol takes its influence from the maritime flag alphabet. In the international code of flag signals, the white and red rectangles in the middle of the symbol are used to symbolize an H which obviously stands for Hilfiger. Though Tommy Hilfiger started out as a nautical and Americana-based brand, it was quickly embraced by other subcultures. The Tommy Hilfiger logo ended up heavily influencing hip hop fashion in the 1990s.
Trivia
Thanks to a renewed interest in 1990s fashion, sportswear, and vintage style, teens and college kids are starting to prefer the old logo over the new one.
Tommy Hilfiger is known for his collaboration with musicians, so rappers such as Puffy and Coolio proudly wore the logo on runways for Tommy Hilfiger.
Though many see the Tommy Hilfiger logo as preppy, the designer has very humble backgrounds. He got his start in the fashion industry with $150 saved from a summer job at a gas station.
Conclusion
The Tommy Hilfiger logo has showed up on a diverse amount of fashion, ranging from oversized denim to tailored suits. Its clean lines, simple color scheme, and bold lettering make the logo suitable for a variety of styles and trends. The simple update to the logo in the mid 2000s helped to bring the brand into the new millennium while still referencing its nostalgic appeal.
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