Tommy Hilfiger launches podcast to highlight the Black community's contribution to fashion

Tommy Hilfiger, which is owned by PVH Corp., announces the launch of a five-part podcast series, titled The Invisible Seam: Unsung Stories of Black Culture and Fashion, which seeks to highlight the overlooked contributions of Black culture and communities, to expand the narrative around the history of American fashion. The series has been developed through Tommy Hilfiger’s People’s Place Program in partnership with The Fashion and Race Database and Audacy’s Pineapple Street Studios. The Invisible Seam launches on April 20, 2022, everywhere podcasts are available and new episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays, through May 18.

“We are all responsible in shaping a future that is truly equitable for BIPOC creatives,” said Tommy Hilfiger. “It’s incredibly meaningful that some of the most notable voices in fashion have come together to bring this podcast to life. It’s a necessary step to acknowledge, recognize, share and celebrate Black contributions in defining modern fashion and culture.”

The Invisible Seam: Unsung Stories of Black Culture and Fashion will feature compelling interviews with expert guests, including designers, academics, fashion historians, museum curators, stylists and artists. It’s hosted by Kimberly Jenkins, a consultant, Assistant Professor of Fashion Studies at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, and Founder and Lead Researcher of The Fashion and Race Database.

“Tommy Hilfiger’s partnership with The Fashion and Race Database is a gamechanger, because it shows what’s possible when industry leaders listen and collaborate with those of us doing the work to educate and advocate for a more diverse and socially responsible fashion system,” said Kimberly Jenkins, Founder and Principal Researcher, The Fashion and Race Database. “Fashion education and research is often isolated in the fashion system, so I hope that other fashion brands will take notes from what Randy Cousin and the Tommy Hilfiger People’s Place Program are producing with us.”

“When we talk about representation and equity, it is important to recognize that fashion history as we know it rarely depicts the stories and contributions of BIPOC communities that formed the backbone of our industry,” said Randy Cousin, SVP Product Concepts and People’s Place Program. “The work that Kim and her team have been doing to bring marginalized history to the forefront is so crucial and meaningful, and it truly aligns with our mission for the People’s Place Program. Together, we want to amplify the work and influence of the uncredited trailblazers in fashion and culture, both from the past and the present. We envision the podcast to be a learning resource and a means to create further dialogue around change, not just within our brand but with the rest of the industry as well.”

The episodes and guests include:

• April 20, 2022: NO BLUEPRINT: Sets the scene and establishes the root and reason for the show, with guests Jeffrey Banks and Romeo Hunte (Designers), and Ceci (Costume Designer).
• April 27, 2022: RHYTHM & MUSE: A look into how the hip-hop community built its look on the margins of an unwelcoming fashion industry, before it became as universal and sought-after as it is today. Featuring Monica Morrow and Boz Bradshaw (Stylists), April Walker (Designer), and Elena Romero (Assistant Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology [FIT] and TV Correspondent).
• May 4, 2022: STATEMENT PIECE: A deeper exploration into Black America’s connections with fashion and the relationship between what we wear and what we believe. With guests Miko Underwood (Founder and Chief Creative Director at OAK & ACORN), Angela Tate (Women’s History Curator at the National Museum of African American History and Culture), Elizabeth Way (Associate Curator at The Museum at FIT) and Richard Thompson Ford (Professor and Author).
• May 11, 2022: THE BEST, THE BRIGHTEST, THE DRESSED: This episode dives into how Historically Black Colleges and Universities have used fashion to show that Black culture is a mosaic, and to position Black Americans as tastemakers and leaders in what the world wears. Guests include Ceci (Costume Designer), Jasmine Guy (Actress and Singer), Darnell-Jamal Lisby (Fashion Historian and Curator), Monica L. Miller (Professor and Author), and Elizabeth Way (Associate Curator at The Museum at FIT).
• May 18, 2022: THERE WILL BE NO MORE DOORS: In a world where Black artistry continues to be the blueprint for what the everyday person wears, we look to the future for inspiration in the present and as a way to make sense of the past. With Connor McKnight (Designer), Law Roach (Image Architect), Brandice Daniel (CEO and Founder of Harlem’s Fashion Row), Randy Cousin (SVP of Product Concept and the People’s Place Program at Tommy Hilfiger), Ade Samuel (Celebrity Stylist), Letesha Renee (Head Designer and Owner at Eugene Taylor Brand) and Aria Hughes (Editorial Creative Director at Complex Networks). The series is closed out by Zairion Lester, a fashion student and emerging designer who shares a forward-looking perspective.

The People’s Place Program was launched in July 2020, drawing inspiration from Tommy Hilfiger’s very first store of the same name, which he opened in 1969 in his hometown of Elmira, NY. The program amplifies the company’s efforts and dedication of resources to increasing opportunities and visibility for underrepresented communities within the global fashion and apparel industries. The platform acts on these commitments through three pillars — Partnerships & Representation, Career Support & Industry Access, and Industry Leadership — with the objective to achieve meaningful, long-lasting change. For more information about Tommy Hilfiger’s social and environmental sustainability journey visit sustainability.tommy.com.

Friends and followers of the brand are invited to join the conversation on social media using #TommyHilfiger, @TommyHilfiger and #TheInvisibleSeam.

Visit https://global.tommy.com/en_int/collection/detail/-the-invisible-seam to learn more about The Invisible Seam: Unsung Stories of Black Culture and Fashion podcast.