The "Tommy Hilfiger Is A Racist" Myth

Tommy Hilfiger, one of America's best-known designers, experienced a period of devastating notoriety at the peak of his career. In 1996, a rumor spread that Hilfiger had been kicked off The Oprah Winfrey Show for making racist remarks, reportedly saying, "If I knew that Blacks and Asians were going to wear my clothes, I would have never designed them." The allegations turned were completely false. Perhaps the rumor was started by a disgruntled rival bring down Hilfiger's brand, which had just reached the peak of popularity at that point.