Guests gathered at The Metrograph on the Lower East Side last night to celebrate Tommy Hilfiger and Harlem’s Fashion Row’s design competition, The New Legacy challenge, and its 2023 winner: Megan Smith of the sustainable contemporary brand Megan Renee.
The evening kicked off with a beautiful cocktail reception with designs by the three finalists—Smith, Jameel Mohammed of Khiry, and Tavon Davis of Victory Lap—on display. Now in its second year, The New Legacy challenge asks talent to reimagine iconic prep styles while staying true to the Tommy Hilfiger brand DNA. Davis’ design drew inspiration from sportswear, featuring an oversized varsity jacket paired with a stylish beret. Smith played with shapes in her dress, incorporating a striped collar, buttons, and a layered skirt. While Mohammed’s design entry, on the other hand, presented a contemporary interpretation of prep fashion, he used layering techniques and jewelry in the timeless Tommy Hilfiger color palette.
Jameel Mohammed, Megan Smith, Tavon Davis
Later in the evening, attendees settled into their seats to watch a compelling docuseries documenting the New Legacy challenge. The series provided an in-depth look into the creative journey of the three finalists, while also highlighting their individual missions within the fashion industry. After a panel discussion, the man behind the brand, Tommy Hilfiger and actress Yara Shahidi announced Megan Smith as the winner of the 2023 New Legacy challenge. As part of her prize, Smith will be awarded $25,000 and receive invaluable mentorship from the All American brand.
Having participated in last year’s New Legacy challenge, Smith said she felt that she had gained further insights into the Tommy Hilfiger brand identity and felt very connected to the brand, and thus decided to reapply to show the evolution of her work and how the competition changed her as a designer. In her acceptance speech, she thanked Hilfiger for the opportunity saying, “ I just connect so heavily to what you built and your legacy and your brand and I’m just grateful to be a part of that.”
Yara Shahidi, Megan Smith
See inside the evening, below:
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- Shawuan Johnson
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- Coco Bassey
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- Yara Shahidi, Megan Smith, Tommy Hilfiger
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- Patrick Loney
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- Steph Villareal
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- Candace Marie
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- Yasmine Samatali, Tony Huang
Images: BFA
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