The Hilfiger Factor and the Flexible Commercial World of Couturejoint venture and buying agency agreements firmly established in Japan.^26
That same year licensing income increased by 136 per cent.^27 Hilfiger is a
Hong Kong based corporation, with manufacturing undertaken in China,
including the £85 jerseys available from the flagstore outlet in Knightsbridge
in 1998. Reuters reported on 2 February 1998 that Hilfiger had bought out
Pepe Jeans for $1.1billion.
Through expert marketing, Hilfiger has been able to market his mass-
produced casual clothes as ‘designer’ products and even as high fashion. By
reworking the elite marketing ploys of the couture industry, used by houses
such as Givenchy, Dior, Chanel and Lacroix, by Christmas of 1998, Hilfiger
was selling his perfume ‘Tommy Girl’ at British department stores, typified
by Debenham’s in Cheltenham, at £35 for 100 milligrams, whilst St Laurent’s
‘Kouros’ was sold for less at £25 for the same amount. Dior’s ‘Eau Sauvage’
was priced at only £3 dearer.^28 Hilfiger’s fragrances are made under licence
by the Aramis division of Estée Lauder. Since the grand salons are now utterly
- Tommy Hilfiger Corporation 1997 Annual Report, New York, p. 17 and 28.
27.DNR, 31 October 1997. - With thanks to Patrica Whitehead for this information.
Figure 8.3.Dreaming of ‘designer’ trainers, a young boy shopping in Brighton, UK,
July 1999.