Tommy Hilfiger - Tommy Hilfiger likes to break fashion rules

Tommy Hilfiger likes to break fashion rules

Tommy Hilfiger says his clothes break ''all the rules''.

The designer's fashion line aims to borrow elements from the traditional British preppy look and give them a cool American twist, a mix he claims is responsible for the success of the brand.

Asked to sum up what Tommy Hilfiger is about, he said: ''Authenticity. British prep is the real thing - we altered it. We broke all the rules of prep and made it very casual. It's more conservative some seasons, more edgy others, but it always has to be a blend of the two.''

Stripes feature heavily in his new Spring/Summer collection and Tommy explained he wanted to amplify the feel of the brand and go overboard with his signature look.

He said: ''I always have strong feelings for stripes, it's just that we amplified it this season. It just felt right. We have had a lot of checks and plaids before, and have returned with them for autumn.''

Tommy is gearing up for the launch of his new venture, Hilfiger Tailored, later this year and the 61-year-old designer revealed he took inspiration from celebrity Saville Row tailor Tommy Nutter, who he used to admire when he was younger.

He added in an interview with Shortlist's Mode magazine: ''It's more modern and slimmer [than my main collection]. I was in London in the sixties and seventies and Tommy Nutter was dressing a lot of the rock groups and cool people - and he had an irreverent way of dressing himself, so I took that as an inspiration.''