The Tommy Polo
over the years

The First Rugby Shirt

Tommy's very first rugby polo was part of his introductory line in the stand-alone store in NYC in 1985. The rugby silhouette, like the polo, came from the sports world and represented a Tommy Hilfiger innovation merging the codes of athletic uniform into a relaxed new silhouette.

This rugby features a boxy and slightly cropped fit, along with a twill collar, button placket, and front pocket. Metal buttons were the brand's signature at the time, whereas traditional rugby shirts had rubber buttons. This style evolved into a more classic polo in 1990.

The Coca Cola Knit Top

The Coca Cola knit top is a hybrid between a typical rugby shirt and the classic polo. Exemplifying Tommy's fusion of varsity sports silhouettes with Americana, this polo sets a precedent for his career-long integration of cultural aesthetics into his designs.

Team Lotus Uniforms

Tommy has a unique history with Formula 1, sponsoring teams since the '90s and designing custom racing uniforms. In 1991, Tommy designed F1 racing suits for Mika Hakkinen and Alex Zanardi's Lotus team. Featuring the brand's logo embroidered on the front, this polo was Tommy's very first F1 collaboration.

The Tommy Hilfiger Outdoors

An early version of the classic Tommy Hilfiger polo shirt, this iteration comes with two snap buttons. While functional, this particular closure was soon replaced with the classic front collar buttons.

Snoop Dogg Wears a Tommy Rugby on 'SNL'

During a performance on Saturday Night Live, rapper Snoop Dogg wore a striped Tommy Hilfiger rugby shirt. Sporting the signature red, white and blue colors, the top featured “TOMMY” printed on the front. Snoop's SNL outfit caught the attention of fans nationwide, and Tommy instantly became one of the most popular brands in the US. The same rugby shirt worn by Snoop sold out the very next day.

The Classic Polo Shirt

Tommy Hilfiger established the classic polo shirt we all know today. In a range of different colors, the shirt came with the crest logo, side vents, and neck buttons. Another version featured colorblocked vertical stripes, a style that was popular among Hip Hop fans.

Aaliyah and the Hip Hop World wear TOMMY JEANS

It's in the '90s that Tommy Hilfiger became a staple in Hip Hop culture. As Tommy started experimenting with oversized fits and loud colors in the '90s, Hip Hop artists including Grand Puba, DJ Alamo and Snoop Dogg started to take notice and embrace the designs. In 1996, Tommy launched his TOMMY JEANS line, styled by Kidada Jones, featuring baggy jeans and colorful sportswear. That same year, R&B icon Aaliyah became the face of the brand, starring in campaigns and going on the Tommy Hilfiger American tour, China Chow, and Peter Paul Scott. In this picture, they can all be seen sporting Tommy polos and rugby shirts.

The Sailing Polo

Inspired by sailing, this polo shirt comes with snap buttons and a color-blocked design. The bottom left corner also features an embroidered Tommy signature, alongside 'AUTHENTIC SAILING GEAR.'

Hilfiger Athletics

Another nod to sports, this polo shirt was part of the Hilfiger Athletics collection. Featuring the white, red, and blue DNA, this shirt also comes with a collar trim with the same signature colors. This collection even included a soccer-inspired polo.

Tommy Hilfiger Golf

TOMMY HILFIGER GOLF was the brand’s first performance line for the sport which heavily featured the golf polo. In the 2000s, the brand featured professional golfers including David Toms and Keegan Bradley in its campaigns.

The Relaxed Polo

Between 2005 and 2009, the TOMMY HILFIGER campaigns feature polos in loose and relaxed fits. The most popular style was the solid color with the classic flag detail on the chest, along with the college-inspired version with horizontal stripes.

The Slim Polo

By 2009, the relaxed polo is replaced by a slim fit. Available in men's and women's sizes, the fitted polo comes in solid colors and all-over logo versions.

Meet the Hilfiger Campaigns

The slim fit polo was a prevalent style in the Meet the Hilfigers campaigns which featured the shirt in striped and solid colors.

Lewis Hamilton and Gigi Hadid Campaign

The Spring 2018 campaign features Lewis Hamilton and Gigi Hadid. Lewis Hamilton sports a slim white polo with embroidered flag, while Gigi Hadid wears a cropped yellow version with the logo replaced by a heart-shaped patch.

Tommy Hilfiger's First Adaptive Polo

Designed to make dressing easier, the Adaptive polo comes with soft cotton fabric, heat-pressed labels, and flat seams to avoid sensory irritation. The polo's traditional front buttons are replaced with concealed magnetic closures.

Tommy x Kith Polo

For Spring-Summer 2019, Tommy Hilfiger released a collaboration with Kith featuring a relaxed polo. This shirt is heavily influenced by the Sailing Gear polo from 1996, as seen in the colorblocking and front logo design.

Tommy x Shawn Classics Reborn Rugby Shirt

Launched for Spring 2023, the collaboration between Tommy Hilfiger and Shawn Mendes featured a stars and stripes rugby shirt made from a recycled and organic cotton blend. One of many contemporary icons in the collection, designed with sustainability at heart.

Tommy x We the Best Polo

In 2024, Tommy Hilfiger partnered with DJ Khaled's We the Best to put a twist on the classic golf polo. The capsule collection took inspiration from archive Tommy designs, like the 1995 classic polo shirt.

Polo Dress

In the Spring 2024 “Kendall and Friends” campaign, Kendall Jenner can be seen wearing the polo in both its classic form and a reworked polo dress.