Quinn, who first gained international attention by presenting his collection to the Queen at London Fashion Week in 2018, combined his thoughtful approach to cool Britannia with Hilfiger’s collegiate, all-American design language.

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By peeking over the umbrella wielded determinedly by the person in front of me, there was a thrilling glimpse of a classic black leather jacket given the studded spike punk treatment and a varsity jacket crowded with flower prints, numbers and lettering. A reversible puffer jacket offered the choice of Quinn’s signature chintz and Hilfiger’s monogram before the umbrella descended again.

The varsity jacket is Hilfiger’s favourite piece from the show.

“That Quinn varsity jacket to me is an epic piece that will forever be iconic in the world of Tommy Hilfiger,” he said.

The kink arrived with monogrammed catsuits, wielded by a curvaceous model wielding a whip, to belt home the fetishistic mood.

At times the collision of English and US sensibilities echoed the magpie approach wielded by Alessandro Michele at Gucci but then an oversized rugby top, college tie or wide-legged khakis reminded you that this is familiar territory for Hilfiger, who has been broadening his aesthetic since 1985.

Drawing equal attention to the boundary-pushing clothing were the models, including plus-size advocate Ashley Graham, Winnie Harlow, Lila Moss and plus-size male model Chad J, greeted with cheers from the front row, dispersing puddles with stomping feet.

“We are selective as to whom we bring in, but we are connected to the network of the pop culture world,” Hilfiger said.

The result on the runway was a reflection of the racially, size and age diverse crowd, if you stripped away the ponchos of those watching. It made spotting celebrities difficult when entering the venues by the undercover backstage, where models, guests and celebrities mingled in front of silver foil walls, another tribute to Warhol’s Factory.

For those fleeting minutes, everyone was famous.

Damien Woolnough travelled to New York Fashion Week with the assistance of Tommy Hilfiger and IMG.

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