Hilfiger goes full nautical for Fashion Week, with runway show on former Staten Island Ferry boat A model walks the runway during the Tommy Hilfiger Spring/Summer 2025 fashion show onboard a Staten Island Ferry as part of New York Fashion Week on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP) Original Publication Date September 08, 2024 – 9:36 PM NEW YORK (AP) — Tommy Hilfiger loves celebrating New York City and its 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.”

**From Floating Palace to…**

The ferry was built in 1965 and was originally intended to be a luxury liner. The John F. Kennedy was designed to be a floating palace, complete with a swimming pool, a disco, and a casino.

“I used to take it to the beach, and I’d just sit there and read.”

This is a powerful statement that reveals a lot about the speaker’s personality and past. It highlights his love for the water, his appreciation for quiet moments, and his connection to the natural world. The boat, a small, classic wooden sailboat, is a symbol of simplicity and nostalgia.

“I’m so proud of her. I’m so happy for her.