I hope to collaborate with Sonam Kapoor: Tommy Hilfiger

New Delhi: American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, who is in India to celebrate his brand's 10th anniversary, says he wishes to work with Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor as he finds the perfect combination of beauty and intellect in her.

The 63-year-old ace designer, while heaping praises on the Bollywood fashionista, said Sonam can carry off any outfit. "Sonam is very beautiful and to add to that, she is a very smart woman. She is so talented, such a big name but still has so much humility. That is incredible. Our brand and Sonam have a similarity- we both are family-oriented. I can't choose any other star that would suit our brand, if I have Sonam in front of me," Hilfiger told PTI here.

The designer said he feels elated to come back to India because the country is very close to his heart and has influenced his designs over the years. "I have been incorporating Indian designs in my collections for several years now. I have used paisley, Indian silk, prints, fabrics and especially colours, jewels and embroideries, beading and sequences. Indian fashion has stayed close to my heart ever since I came here first. Hence I keep using something, especially the handworks in my outfits," he said.

Hilfiger said his special items to mark his brand's 10th anniversary are also a combination of his style and Indian designs. "We have come out with an Indian shawl for our consumers here. It is a combination of my stripe designs and Indian paisley with a TH logo. We have also designed a traditional men's bandi, available in both classic navy suede and beige suede styles, is inspired by the fusion of my aesthetic with traditional Indian tailoring," the designer said.

When asked what he finds most striking about Indian fashion, Hilfiger said he likes the traditional Indian attire for women as it is not only stunning but also has emotions attached to it. "The traditional Indian outfit for women is such a gorgeous dress. I love it because it is bejewelled, vibrant. As it is worn on special occasions, it becomes special for a girl, the whole family, so it has that celebratory mood. I think it is the most beautiful thing about Indian fashion," Hilfiger said.

The designer said he is looking forward to celebrate his association of another 10 years with the country and is planning to evolve his brand for Indian market. "We will be expanding our women's and accessories business and we want to focus on building it into a big lifestyle brand," he said.

Recalling his first few visits to India, Hilfiger said the fashion industry was very small back then and he is proud to see the growth it has undergone and made its place on the world map. "My association with India is beyond the last decade. I came here first 35 years ago. That was my first design trip and I made my very first collection using Indian fabrics and with the help of Indian tailors. I am hence so close to the people of this country. So, it makes me so happy to see that from the small scale industry India has become such a huge fashion market today. Indian embroideries are sought after by the world," the designer said.

Hilfiger said though he is aware of his brand's popularity with Indian youth, he does not feel the need to design something different for them because he finds the taste of young people same across the globe. "There is no difference between the youth of India and Los Angeles or any other country. All of them want latest in jeans, T-shirts, blouses, skirts. All the young consumers across the world have similar tastes," he said.