Tommy Hilfiger reveals the 2022 Fashion Frontier Challenge finalists

PVH Corp. announced Wednesday the finalists for the fourth edition of the 2022 Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge, a program that aims to empower historically marginalized entrepreneurs who support Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), individuals living with disabilities and women. communities.

Carefully selected from a pool of 259 applicants — from global startups to scaled ones — the five finalists have been revealed as: Care+Wear, a New York-based health apparel company that offers accessible clothing, recovery bras, gowns for patients and cleaning people in the hospital; IDA Sports: a British company that designs football boots and cleats specifically for female athletes; Koalaa, a UK initiative to engineer prosthetic upper limbs made as clothes; Tactus, a Dutch-American technology brand that makes smart clothing that translates music into vibrations for the deaf community; and Moner Bondhu, a startup founded in Bangladesh that provides mental health and wellness services with a focus on garment factory workers, women and youth.

​During the year-long process, applications were reviewed by internal and external experts based on a dedicated set of criteria, including potential social impact and market growth.

Last month, the five finalists completed design sprints with experts from Tommy Hilfiger’s global headquarters in Amsterdam. During this step, each finalist presented their most pressing business challenge and collaborated with experts to develop practical solutions over the course of a week.

In the final phase of the program, the five finalists will present their business concepts to a judging panel of business and sustainability leaders, including Tommy Hilfiger and activist Halima Aden, at the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge finale on February 9.

A prize of €200,000 will be shared between the top two winners to support their ventures, as well as receive a one-year mentoring opportunity with Tommy Hilfiger and INSEAD experts, as well as a place on an INSEAD course. An additional €15,000 will be awarded to the finalist voted as the ‘Public Favorite’ by Tommy Hilfiger associates.

​”As we move into the fourth edition of the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Frontier Challenge, we know there is still more work to be done to achieve diverse representation and inclusion in fashion,” said Tommy Hilfiger.

“When we come together in collaboration, we ignite an important catalyst for change – and only together can we drive this long-term impact. We are committed to using our platform to give voice to emerging talent so that the industry as a whole can evolve how we think, build and create.