Behind the Scenes at the Met Gala

Inside Jack Harlow’s Tommy Hilfiger Look at the 2021 Met Gala

The legendary brand and the rising star have a connection that goes all the way back to Harlow’s grandfather.
Inside Jack Harlows Tommy Hilfiger Look at the 2021 Met Gala
Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger.

As hard as it is to remember the time before rapper Jack Harlow was a radio fixture, the pandemic has meant that the 23-year-old Louisville native hasn’t had too many opportunities to show off on the red carpet. This year, Harlow is attending the Met gala for the first time, and by wearing Tommy Hilfiger, he’s taking the night’s theme, American fashion, very seriously. 

It’s been a weekend of firsts for him. On Sunday he performed with Lil Nas X at MTV’s Video Music Awards, where he also nabbed a nomination for Best New Artist. In an interview, Harlow said it felt good to be out and about again. “For a while there I was terrified that I was only going to be a celebrity on the internet,” he added.

Courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger.

Because Tommy Hilfiger is a quintessential American brand, it makes sense that they’re working with Harlow, whose style often combines streetwear with a hint of throwback appeal. Harlow said he has been wearing the brand, which has long been a hip-hop favorite, since he was a kid. “I just think there is a timeless and universal appeal to the colors and designs Tommy chooses,” he said. “It makes it accessible and attractive to everyone.”

For Monday, Hilfiger designed a sophisticated and smooth velvet double-breasted tuxedo that appealed to Harlow’s knack for comfort and timelessness. “The colors are tasteful,” Harlow said of the look. “The texture is so smooth. It’s subtle but significant. It’s perfect to me.”

In a statement, Hilfiger explained the logic behind the outfit. “Jack’s look for the Met gala is a reinterpretation of our brand’s signature DNA—it’s classic and sophisticated with a cool edge,” he said. “We’ve created a custom double-breasted tuxedo suit for him in a rich velvet, featuring deep red and navy stripes that showcase a new take on the preppy collegiate stripe. It’s a look that truly brings out Jack’s effortless, confident style while highlighting design codes that are quintessential to Tommy Hilfiger.”

Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG21/Getty Images For The Met Museum/Vogue.
Photo by John Shearer/WireImage.

The connection between Harlow and Hilfiger is deeper than a shared sensibility—it turns out that Harlow’s grandfather used to live down the street from the designer. “My whole life my Grandpa told me that he and Tommy grew up on the same street and that their families knew of each other,” Harlow explained. “The first time Tommy and I got on the phone I told him my Grandpa’s last name and he immediately remembered and said that he could see my grandpa’s house from his front porch. Something about this connection made this whole partnership feel more organic and special.”

While Jack Harlow’s Met gala debut might not be quite as hectic as Sunday night’s televised detour to Montero State Prison, it is a significant moment long in the making for the rising star. That said, his plans for the evening are pretty straightforward: “Getting this fit off and being inspired by the room I’m in.” 

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