When Hilfiger first moved to NYC, he began to work as a freelancer and befriended a number of people in the business, including the late designer Perry Ellis. Within five years Hilfiger was working under contract with Asian textile mogul Mohan Murjani, the man behind the trendy Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. Mohan Murjani was interested in launching a men's clothing line and felt that Hilfiger's entrepreneurial background gave him the unique ability to approach men's fashion in a new way. With the support of Murjani, Hilfiger introduced his first signature collection in 1985, by modernizing button down shirts, chinos, and other time-honored classics. The relaxed, youthful attitude of his first designs has remained a distinctive hallmark throughout all of Hilfiger's subsequent collections.
In 1985, Hilfiger hired legendary ad man George Lois to develop a billboard to place in the center of New York’s Times Square. The now famous “hangman ad” ignited the designer’s career and launched a dynamic and productive relationship between him and Lois. Under Murjani's management, the Tommy Hilfiger mens-wear collection grossed $5 million in the first year and $10 million in the second. However, these were modest sales by fashion industry standards. In 1988, Hilfiger bought out Murjani and joined Silas Chou, a Hong Kong clothing manufacturer. By that time, the company was bringing in around $25 million a year. They began their new endeavor cautiously, hiring experienced executives from well-known companies like Ralph Lauren and Liz Claiborne. Three years later they took the company public.
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