Tommy Hilfiger and CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund: Americans in Paris trench coats

It’s hard to find the perfect transitional piece of outerwear to get you through the unpredictable British spring weather. Especially when your tastes run to the more adventurous side, or you have something a little different in mind rather than the same old, same old.

Tommy Hilfiger’s Americans in Paris range of (very) limited edition trench coats offer the perfect solution, if you are lucky enough to be able to snap one up.

Now in its second season, the Hilfiger sponsored Americans in Paris initiative serves to support and further the careers of emerging US designers, and is run in conjunction with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Following last year’s tote bag collection, Americans in Paris has upped the ante this time round with Hilfiger enlisting a host of emerging American design talent to take his classic trench and put their own individual spins on it.

The aim is to bring attention to each designers eclectic design sensibilities, and raise awareness of their names and work in the tough to crack fashion industry and to the wider audience in general.

The ten designers who have been selected to participate in the collection this year are Albertus Swanepoel, Billy Reid, Creatures of the Wind, George Esquivel, Gregory Parkinson, Monique Péan, Ohne Titel, Pamela Love, Prabal Gurung and Simon Spurr. Each has applied their own signature aesthetic to the Tommy trench to create a new, original take on the classic.

Standouts in the collection include a leather sleeved Stormtrooper-esque trench by menswear designer Simon Spurr, jewellery designer Pamela Love’s denim sleeved customised version, resplendent with studs and patches that give it a very hippie-ish bohemian vibe. Prabal Gurung’s exquisitely hand-stencilled lace detailed trench for the more ladylike customer and Ohne Titel’s starkly contrasting black trench with heavy metal stud detailing.

Retailing for a very wallet friendly $298 each in Tommy Hilfiger stores in NYC and Paris, these unique and highly desirable pieces will also be available online by clicking here.

A full 100% of the net proceeds from sales will be donated to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund; now that’s what you call fashion for the cause!

Ian Michael Turner