At the age of eighteen, Thomas Jacob (Tommy) Hilfiger starts to sell jeans and, upon request, to design the bell-bottoms typical of that time. Within ten years he opens twelve shops in New York and he becomes famous in 1985 when he signs his first fashion show and his garments invade the market. The founder remains the main designer of the company and one of the main managers that run the manufacturing process. In 2010 the company is acquired by the same owner of Calvin Klein, and besides denim, it makes sportswear for men, women and children as well as accessories. Today it is one of the most famous worldwide-known brands since it relaunched the classic American design in its broadest sense and for having reinterpreted the preppy style with a modern twist.