Clarence Ruth, Winner of the New Legacy Challenge, Is Reimagining Prep Style

Last Thursday at The Roxy Hotel in New York City, Tommy Hilfiger unveiled the next big name in American fashion. Clarence Ruth, a native New Yorker known for his sculptural denim designs, won the brand’s New Legacy Challenge, securing a $20,000 grant and the chance to design a capsule collection alongside the Tommy Hilfiger team. Last week, the competition’s three finalists (Megan Smith, Johnathan Hayden, and Ruth) presented their final collections, which included re-imaginings of six iconic prep silhouettes, to a jury panel (which included the actor Anthony Ramos, and Tommy Hilfiger himself) for consideration. 

At Thursday’s soirée, friends and family gathered to celebrate the competition’s finalists and to mark the role of the New Legacy Challenge—established by Tommy Hilfiger’s People’s Place Program in collaboration with Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR)—in ushering in an era of increased equity and inclusion in American fashion. “I have no doubt that the [finalists] will be among fashion’s future makers,” Hilfiger told Interview. “Our partnership with HFR not only highlights the outstanding caliber of talent out there, but also underscores the crucial role that a global brand like Tommy Hilfiger can play in bringing diversity and representation to the forefront.” Below, learn a bit more about each finalist’s design philosophy, and take a peek at the night’s festivities.

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CLARENCE RUTH

“Prep style to me is every bit as classic as it is innovative. It is the union of practicality and functionality. Familiar silhouettes that have been in fashion for ages are presented with a modern lens. I love the challenge of balancing tailored, staple pieces in the form of a jacket or blazer with comfortable, loose trousers.”

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MEGAN SMITH

“Being able to take these styles and reimagine them has been such an honor. As a designer, the Tommy Hilfiger brand’s history and legacy speak to me in so many ways. This opportunity to merge my aesthetic with what’s new in the fashion world is what design evolution is all about.”

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JOHNATHAN HAYDEN

“Tommy Hilfiger sits within a top group of American brands whose lasting influence and global platform has the ability to shape an accessible and modern wardrobe. That has a lot of power to depict a vision for the future of this industry.”

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