- Words Solly Warner
Tommy Hilfiger and Patta team up to celebrate the strength and unity of the diaspora movement in a collaborative capsule.
Collaborating for the first-time, Patta and Tommy Hilfiger cantered the PATTA x TOMMY capsule around the Pan-African Flag, Black unity and community, showcasing strength of community by spotlighting authentic stories of the widespread influence of the diaspora movement. To celebrate this, the iconic white, red and blue TOMMY colours have been replaced by the traditional Pan-African colours of deep red, black, green and yellow, putting African culture and community self-actualization front and centre in this capsule.
The unisex PATTA x TOMMY capsule collection is inspired by a series of iconic pieces from the TOMMY JEANS archive. T-Shirts feature the diaspora message, “GREAT PRINCIPLES, GREAT IDEALS KNOW NO NATIONALITY.” Across the range, a hybrid TOMMY JEANS flag is crossed with a Pan-African flag, which sits above the Patta logo and capsule theme of ‘UNITY IS STRENGTH DIVISION IS WEAKNESS’ inspiring positivity and a “love for all” mentality.
To further underscore the collection’s message, Patta has produced “Katibo Yeye”, a documentary directed by award-winning Dutch film director, Frank Zichem. The film follows Clarence Breeveld, a Suriname-born man living in the Netherlands, as he attempts to trace the shipping route from Ghana to Suriname travelled by his enslaved ancestors, visiting locations where slave trading took place. “Katibo Yeye” will be available to watch at PattaxTommy.com for a limited time only.
As part of this partnership, Tommy Hilfiger and Patta will donate to The Black Archives from Amsterdam, Sistah Space from London, and The Good Neighborhood Collective from Milan – each chosen for their dedication to celebrating Afro-descendants and uplifting their voices.
The PATTA x TOMMY range will be available via the Patta retail network and PattaxTommy.com globally beginning Friday, April 9, and via selected wholesale partners starting April 16, 2021.
