We are really living the American dream, to be a successful brand in the States and in Europe and to steep ourselves in our heritage. But we do it with a sense of humor. We don’t take ourselves too seriously in fashion.

Hilfiger frames his company’s trajectory as a textbook “American dream”: building a globally recognized label from American roots while also being embraced by Europe’s fashion capitals. The emphasis on “heritage” signals brand identity grounded in recognizable, classic Americana rather than fleeting novelty. Yet he pairs that seriousness of legacy with an insistence on humor and self-distance—suggesting that fashion’s status games and pretensions can be deflated without sacrificing quality or ambition. The quote positions the brand as confident but approachable: successful enough to be international, traditional enough to have a story, and relaxed enough not to treat fashion as sacred.