Tommy Hilfiger Finds His Male Star

NEW YORK — Tommy Hilfiger and Enrique Iglesias are flying high — literally — about the prospects of their new True Star Men fragrance, a point they proved by arriving at their launch party Tuesday via helicopter.

"We want this to be the future of fragrance," Hilfiger told WWD earlier that afternoon in an interview at his West Side offices. "When we developed the True Star masterbrand, we developed a platform for true stars. Beyonce Knowles [the face of True Star Women, launched last year] was our first true star, and when we started developing the men's side of the business, Enrique was the first person I thought of [to be the men's counterpart]. He's young, cool, relaxed, a true artist. There is an authenticity about him. He is a global superstar, and, as all of our products are global, it was important to align this launch with a star that is as popular in Spain or Sweden as he is in Japan or the U.S."

Hilfiger also said that the True Star initiative "resonates in pop culture, which has driven my brand for the past 25 years."

Iglesias, clad at the interview from head to toe in Hilfiger apparel, said he had admired the Knowles campaign. "It was done with a lot of class," he said. "I loved the combination of music and scent." In fact, it influenced his decision to become involved with the men's project, he said. "At the end of the day, it's your image — and when you have your name on something, you want it to be something that you can be proud of," said Iglesias.

While the scent's target market is 18- to 35-year-olds, both Iglesias and Hilfiger think it will stretch those age parameters.

"The minute you start liking girls, one of the first things you do is buy a fragrance," said Iglesias, who said he bought his first fragrance from Cartier at age 14 and thought that those younger than 18 would be among the scent's buyers. "You start caring about how you smell." And the smell of True Star Men appeals to him. "I love it," said Iglesias. "It's subtle — it's the kind of fragrance that you don't smell from 50 feet away. You smell it, your girlfriend smells it, but it's not so in your face."