The stars held court in the Palm Court.
On Thursday, Tommy Hilfiger welcomed more than 50 celebs and much of the cast of his viral ad campaign to his blockbuster spring 2027 show at the Plaza Hotel.
Winning serious style points in the front row were Tommy-clad Knicks champs Josh Hart, Miles McBride and Karl-Anthony Towns and his new bride Jordyn Woods, along with Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Olympic gymnast Suni Lee. Musical artists Camila Cabello, Jisoo, 21 Savage, Cat Burns, Fireboy DML, Victoria Monét and Coco Jones didn’t miss a beat while Lisa Rinna, Victoria Justice and Lucien Laviscount served Hollywood glamour. Meanwhile, shades-wearing supermodel Kate Moss snuck in fashionably late and kept seatmates Patrick Schwarzenegger and magazine editor Edward Enninful smiling with her colorful running commentary.
The haute guests told Alexa they had repped prep in the past.
“I was a goth for most of my teen years and then I went to a new high school in San Diego and tried to be a footballer, American preppy kid for a little bit,” shared Lukas Gage of “White Lotus” fame. “I changed my style and it didn’t really work for me. But I’m bringing it back right now,” he added, motioning toward his varsity jacket. “This is like the quarterback I never was. I’m, like, roleplaying today.”
McBride, who sported crisp chinos, sweater and a houndstooth coat at the event, also embraced the all-American style. “I went to an all-boys private Catholic high school, so I had a preppy phase,” said the 6’2” athlete, who helped lead the Archbishop Moeller High School basketball team in Ohio to two Division 1 state titles. “We wore collared shirts.”
Even Lisa Rinna partook in the trend. “I was probably 13 when ‘The Preppy Handbook’ came out,” shared the actor, who was interrupted at one point by her friend Gage, who shouted ‘You are so f–king hot!’ “Oh my god, Izod, the whole thing,” she said.
Hilfiger also did the whole thing.
The fashion mogul, who stages his shows in New York landmarks from Grand Central’s Oyster Bar to the Staten Island Ferry, took over most of the ground floor of the Plaza for his runway extravaganza. He and his wife, Dee, lived in the iconic building for more than a decade.
“We had everyone from Mick Jagger to Jennifer Lopez to dinner,” Hilfiger told Alexa. “It was always fun to bring people in who had stayed at the hotel when it was just a hotel, and we’d hear stories about which room they stayed in or which floor they stayed on. The location is one of the best in New York, and being close to Central Park is kind of special.”
The couple sold the 6,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, 4.5-bath duplex penthouse for $33.25 million in 2019.
Hilfiger’s new ad campaign, starring Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, Tommy Girl Gigi Hadid, Jisoo, DJ and singer Peggy Gou, NBA champ-turned-commentator Carmelo Anthony and tennis pro Frances Tiafoe, was also filmed in the historic hotel. Kelce was unable to attend the show due to football obligations and Tiafoe sent his regrets, as he’s playing in the U.S. Open semi-finals tomorrow.
Hilfiger said he had a blast making the ad. “[Kelce] is just a happy guy with a very positive attitude. He’s fun and funny. He’s kind to everyone, respectful, and his humbleness is really, I think, one of his greatest assets. He’s just a down-to-earth great person.”
That upbeat vibe radiated from the runway. Hadid opened the show in oversized red pleated pants, a tee-shirt and tan blazer topped with a navy bucket hat. The look was both jaunty and relaxed.
Hilfiger played with shapes and proportions, supersizinghis pants, bermuda shorts, sailing jackets and ruggy shirts. He twisted his button-downs so the collar opened asymmetrically across a shoulder and lengthened his polo shirts into slinky dresses.
The crowd was already grooving to the fashion and the music when electropop singer-songwriter Slayyyter stormed the catwalk and belted out a few tunes. And after the finale, when Hilfiger did a lap with a fluffy Samoyed that many thought was a dupe for Kelce and Taylor Swift’s pup Wendy, the audience went wild.
“The show was amazing,” said Anthony, who played seven seasons with the Knicks and said he loves the message of the new ad campaign. “This is a big moment for New York.”
