NYC DIARIES - Tommy Hilfiger takes New York
- Aug 22
- 5 min read
There are some trips that feel like a holiday, and then there are the ones that feel like a little marker in your life. My trip to New York with Tommy Hilfiger was definitely the latter.
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At the beginning of this year, I had New York sitting firmly on my vision board. I had no idea when I would go or quite how it would happen, but I knew I wanted to get back there. So when I received the call asking if I would like to head to New York with Tommy Hilfiger, it genuinely felt like one of those moments where life has somehow listened to the things you’ve been quietly wishing for. New York was on my vision board and, a few months later, I was packing my suitcase and heading there with one of my favourite brands.
And I wasn’t going to New York quietly. Every outfit I wore on the trip was Tommy Hilfiger, from head to toe, and I have to say, I have completely fallen head over heels for the brand. There is something about the Tommy Hilfiger aesthetic that feels so perfectly suited to New York. Classic American style, a little bit preppy, a little bit cool and incredibly timeless. I loved every single look and, after spending the trip wearing the collection, I came home with a very long wish list for the autumn and winter season.
What made this trip particularly special, though, was the fact that it had been so long since I’d last been to New York. I think the last time I visited was right at the beginning of my influencing career, when I was around 30, so almost eight years ago. I remember that trip, but when I think about the person I was then compared with the person who arrived this time, it feels like a lifetime ago.
Coming back to New York after all those years was surprisingly emotional. The last time I was there, I was still very much finding my feet. I was a girl at the beginning of a career, trying to figure out where it might take me and whether all the things I dreamed about were actually possible. I had absolutely no idea what the next eight years would bring.
This time, walking through the same city as a completely different person, I found myself thinking about how much had changed. When you’re constantly working towards the next thing, it’s very easy to forget to look back and acknowledge what you’ve already achieved. Being back in New York gave me one of those rare moments where I could actually see it.
The girl who came here years ago was still trying to work out who she was and what she wanted. The woman who came back this time had built a career, created opportunities she once could only have hoped for and, in many ways, had actually done the things she set out to do. It felt like a very quiet but very powerful full circle moment.
And perhaps that is why this trip will stay with me for a long time.
Of course, there was plenty to experience beyond the clothes. One of the main reasons we were in New York was to see Liverpool Football Club play at Yankee Stadium, which was pretty special for me as a Merseyside girl. Tommy Hilfiger has a collaboration with Liverpool Football Club, so being able to experience that partnership in New York was such an incredible combination of two things that feel very different, but both have a huge place in my heart. I can tell you now, my dad was very jealous when I told him I was going.
We also got to explore some of the city, from Soho to the Brooklyn Bridge, and I spent as much time as I could simply walking around and taking it all in. I even made it to Central Park for a walk, although I probably should have checked the weather forecast first because the rain in New York was something else. It poured pretty much every day we were there, with the exception of one glorious day when the sun finally decided to make an appearance.
The upside of all that rain was that it gave me the perfect excuse to embrace transitional dressing. Trench coats, layers and classic autumnal pieces were very much required, and it definitely got me excited for the autumn and winter season ahead. There is something about wearing a trench coat in New York that just makes you feel like you’re starring in your own little movie, even when you’re slightly damp and desperately trying to avoid a puddle.
New York has always had a special place in my heart. I lived in America when I was growing up, so being back in the States has always felt a little bit like returning to a home from home. But New York has a completely different energy. It is loud and chaotic and glamorous and overwhelming, but somehow completely addictive. There is always something happening and everywhere you look there is something that makes you want to take a photograph, write something down or start planning your next adventure.
I think that’s why New York has always represented something more to me than simply another city. It is one of those places that makes you believe in possibility. It has that feeling of ambition and movement and dreams actually becoming reality. And coming back to it at this particular point in my life felt incredibly poignant.
Sometimes you don’t realise how far you’ve travelled until you physically return to where you started.
That is probably what I will remember most about this trip. Not just the amazing outfits, the Tommy Hilfiger pieces, walking across the Brooklyn Bridge or watching Liverpool at Yankee Stadium, but the feeling of returning to a place I had once visited at the beginning of my career and realising just how much life had happened since then.
I think we’re all guilty of focusing on what we haven’t done yet. There is always another goal, another dream, another thing we’re working towards. But every now and again, it’s important to stop and look at the things that once felt impossible and realise that maybe you’ve already achieved more than you give yourself credit for.
For me, New York was that moment.
It felt like a reminder of the girl I was, the woman I’ve become and everything that happened in between. And perhaps that’s why, despite all the rain, the jet lag and the frantic schedule, I left New York feeling incredibly grateful.
And, of course, I left with a suitcase full of Tommy Hilfiger and a Liverpool football kit to bring home for the family.
For reference, I’m 5ft 4 and typically wear the smallest size available from a brand.
Disclaimer: This was a press trip with Tommy Hilfiger.
