With issues of social justice and systemic racism at the fore, fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger is doing more than just voicing support for the movement: The iconic label is putting words into action with a multifaceted approach, from developing the People’s Place Program to advance minority representation in fashion to partnering with the Victor Cruz Foundation for underrepresented youth and robustly supporting the Rock the Vote initiative.
Now, as part of its Moving Forward Together campaign concept to uplift, unite and inspire fans through a variety of activations, the company has unveiled its latest partnership: A collab with Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery, a Black-female-owned business in Chicago focusing on community and literacy—and great reads, natch. The result is a curated book stack of five works by authors of different backgrounds (think Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin and So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo), all packaged in an eye-catching limited-edition tote bag customized by Chicago artist Ahmad James. Just 250 of the stacks are available exclusively at tommy.com starting Oct. 27, with 100% of the $98.50 purchase price (minus shipping and handling) going back to Semicolon. Says Semicolon owner Danielle Mullen, “For me, this collaboration with Tommy Hilfiger means that the path I’m on is the right one as an entrepreneur. A fairly new Black bookstore partnering up with such a dynamic and iconic brand is a testament to the fact that great things can happen when worlds collide.” Adds Gary Sheinbaum, CEO of Tommy Hilfiger Americas, “Inclusion and diversity have always been at the heart of our brand, and it’s important to us to advance these values. With our partnership with Semicolon, we hope to drive positive change by offering consumers a range of books that provide a deeper understanding of racism, social injustice, and inequality. We had our associates hand-select the books for the stack, making the initiative that much more meaningful, as we take pride in being a company composed of diverse people, backgrounds, and culture.”
Semicolon Bookstore & Gallery owner Danielle Mullen
Photography by: Courtesy of brands
