A Fashion Christening: Tommy Hilfiger Shows on the High Line

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• NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 09: (L-R) Ed Westwick, Brad Richards, James Marsden, and Kellan Lutz attend the Tommy Hilfiger Men's Spring 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Highline on September 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Ste
• Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
• Tommy takes his bow (Photo by Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)
• NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 09: Atmosphere of the Tommy Hilfiger Men's Spring 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Highline on September 9, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)
• Brad Goreski contemplates Ed Westwick's sweat splotch
• The verdict: Yuck!

Photo credit: Getty Images

Usually the High Line—that elevated green way on Manhattan's fair west—hosts standard issue Scoop-shopping fashionistas who tromp down the catwalk-like esplanade as if they're walking the runways at Lincoln Center. But those little ladies, their Loubs and the fashion shows in their heads had some stiff competition yesterday evening: From a bunch of guys in khakis and pea coats.

It was Tommy Hilfiger's spring/summer '12 menswear show; and it was the High Line's very first fashion show (well, official fashion show). From the stairs at 14th Street guests were greeted with sweating bottles of icy brew and ushered two blocks north to the relative shade of the Chelsea Market Passage. There, a series of summery café tables topped with carafes of ice water lined a runway. There waiting: Brad Goreski, Ed Westwick, James Marsden, Kellan Lutz and hockey player Brad Richards. Otherwise, a lot of guys in bowties.

And the clothes: They were great. Fun and fresh but still totally preppie and wearable. The colors: White on white on white plus ultra-saturated orange and dijon and tomato and raspberry and cobalt. The print: A cartoonish camo in blue or olive or raspberry. The suits: Sleek and slim with banded double-breasted blazers. Outerwear included twisted takes on the classic moto or skinny varsity jackets with raglan sleeves in unexpected hues and bits of rich brown leather. We loved both footwear options: A high desert boot in that cartoon camo or a classic penny loafer with a red contrast sole. Lots of color-blocking, lots of khaki, lots of coral, lots of seersucker (or mock-seersucker); plus a gorgeous denim suit with red tuxedo piping down each leg—we want all of it.
· Tommy Hilfiger [Official Site]
· All Fashion Week Coverage [Racked]