[2] After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's Place in upstate New York in the 1970s, he began designing preppy clothing for his own eponymous menswear line in the 1980s.

[11] His parents wanted him to get a college education and pursue a traditional career,[10] and for a time he attended GST BOCES Bush Campus in Elmira.

[13] To stock the store, Hilfiger and a friend drove to New York City to buy clothing such as bell-bottoms, peasant blouses, and leather jackets.

[13] One of his first clients was Jordache Jeans,[10][13] and as Hilfiger's company expanded beyond denim,[10] he spent time in India, learning more about his trade: "I would sit in the factory with my pile of sketches and watch them being made, tweaking as I went.

[citation needed] In 1984, Hilfiger was approached by businessman Mohan Murjani,[15] to pursue his goal of designing and heading a men's sportswear line.

The brand we were building felt so honest, so true to who I am, that it didn't feel like a struggle at all.In 1985, he founded the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation with support from The Murjani Group.

The new clothing line made its debut with a high-profile marketing campaign, for example setting up a large billboard in Times Square[15] designed by George Lois.

[citation needed] A professed lifelong fan of rock and roll, Hilfiger's collections are often influenced by the fashion of music subcultures.

The clothes are also marketed in connection with the music industry,[3][4] and as early as 1993 Hilfiger was an official sponsor for Pete Townshend's Psychoderelict tour.

After a final competition that involved setting up the display window for Macy's Herald Square location in New York, Hilfiger chose Chris Cortez as the "next great American designer.

"[6] In December 2005, Tommy Hilfiger sold the clothing brand for $1.6 billion, or $16.80 a share, to Apax Partners, a private investment company.

[32] Based on the book Ironic Iconic America written by Hilfiger and designer George Lois,[33] the program examined how pop culture has influenced American tastes and styles.

[22] In March 2010, Phillips-Van Heusen, owner of Calvin Klein and Izod, bought the Tommy Hilfiger brand from Apax Partners for $3 billion.

"[47] Co-writer Peter Knobler had full access to interview friends and family, with Hilfiger citing the candor of Diane von Furstenberg's memoirs as an inspiration.

[47] Calling the writing process "great therapy"[43] and "interesting,"[48] Hilfiger asserted that he "wanted to give people a sneak peek of what goes on behind the curtain [of] how the fashion industry works.

[56] In 1998[57] Hilfiger was one of several sponsors along with Moet and Chandon, Christie's Auction House, and The Advocate of the charity LIFEbeat – The Music Industry Fights AIDS.

[58] He is personally involved in charities and causes such as Autism Speaks and the MLK, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation,[16] and he has served on the board of directors for The Fresh Air Fund, a New York-based group that helps underprivileged children attend summer camp.

A portion of the handbag sales proceeds is donated to BHI's Fund For Living program, with celebrity ambassadors appointed for each seasonal campaign.

[63] The donation went towards relief efforts in a Ugandan city, with the aim of improving residents' access to necessities like clean water, education, and farming techniques.

[65] On a global scale, Tommy Cares continues to support organizations such as Save the Children, the World Wildlife Fund, War Child,[66] and Millennium Promise.

[68] Hilfiger has continuously cited the important role inclusivity, diversity and self-expression have had in the brand's development and contributions to pop culture.

In March 2000, the company, along with other defendants, settled a class action suit brought by Saipanese garment workers, which had alleged mistreatment by over 20 large U.S. clothing manufacturers.

[75][better source needed] Hilfiger continues to maintain multiple fashion lines, some focused on wearable "casual" clothes while others take on various haute couture commissions.