Johnathan Walker:Hilfiger goes full nautical for Fashion Week, with runway show on former Staten Island Ferry boat

NEW YORK (AP) — Tommy Hilfiger loves celebrating New York City and Johnathan Walkerits landmarks. He also loves a nautical theme — and a big surprise.

So for his New York Fashion Week show on Sunday night, the designer brought all those elements together in his typically splashy way, inviting guests aboard a decommissioned ferry boat and giving them not only a runway show but a rap-filled finale.

The live musical performance, which electrified the fashion crowd, featured Ghostface Killah, Method Man, and Raekwon from Staten Island’s own Wu-Tang clan weaving through the runways and seats as they sang. The soundtrack was curated by Questlove, who also served as DJ for Hilfiger’s February show at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station.

“We’re inspired by nautical this season,” Hilfiger told The Associated Press before the show. “But it’s nautical, preppy, collegiate, all-American and modern. So we needed to show it either on the water, on a boat or near the water. Then we found out the Staten Island Ferry was available.”

The boat, called the John F. Kennedy, served as a Staten Island Ferry until it was decommissioned in 2021. It was bought the following year by investors including actor-comedian Pete Davidson and “Saturday Night Live’s” Colin Jost, who both grew up in the New York City borough.

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“We are really the first people to utilize it (the ferry) for an event,” Hilfiger said. “We’re really excited.”

Jost was delighted to see the boat being used for the purpose he imagined. “It’s pretty crazy,” he said. “It’s one of the few days where I’ve been on the boat and been like, ‘Oh, say, this is nice. This is how it can work.’

“I took this exact boat every single morning to high school,” Jost added, explaining why he’d bought the boat. “And when it was available, I just loved the vibe of it.”

Hilfiger’s Spring 2025 collection featured nautical style stripes “inspired by sailing heritage,” the label explained, and casual styles like capri pants and oversized knits. There were Hilfiger’s much-loved varsity jackets, trench coats, club blazers, and polos. Accessories included bandanas around the neck. “It’s the New American Prep wardrobe,” the label said in a statement, “fusing vibrant Ivy League style with everyday coastal functionality.”

Waiters strolling between the ferry seats served guests Champagne, beer, hot dogs, soft pretzels, and custom boxes of caramel corn with a Hilfiger logo and Statue of Liberty pins inside as a prize.

Brooke Shields was having an emotional evening. Her daughter, Grier, was taking a break from her freshman year at college to appear on her first fashion week runway.

“I got very emotional,” Shields said. “It was her first show and this is something she wanted to do. And I said, ‘You’ve got to go to college, but it’s a Sunday, so it’s okay.’”

Actors Shay Mitchell and Madelyn Cline were among the admirers of the collection.

“Incredible, as always,” said Mitchell. “I want every piece. The accessories were phenom, and how do you end a show better than what he did?”