American Dreamer: My Life in Fashion and Business

J. Michael Nace said Exceptional Book of Childhood Experience Leading to Success. This is a surprisingly well written book. It moves quickly and never drags. In the beginning Tommy mentions he has been given a photographic memory wherein his mind takes pictures of what he wants to remember and after reading this book that may be the explanation for the incredible amount of detail, names, dates/events/ and locations mentioned in this book. I cannot recall any book in recent memory quite like this. The book is a page-turner with a tremendous amount of family information with insight and honest commentary. Tommy grew up as an artistic young person absorbed and fascinated by fashion. Thomnla said A so-so read. An interesting account of one of America's most popular fashion designers. As someone with little knowledge of the field, I found my attention to the book waxing and waning. Someone with a greater interest in this industry might be better motivated to speed through what I found to be something of a slog. I felt the book would have benefited from more attentive editing.. "THE book for the dreamer in all of us!" according to H.A.Y.. I give this book five stars for being a smooth, interesting read, and a trip down memory lane to the fun filled 70's of which I was a part of. As a business person myself, I also give it five stars for great insight, determination and a candid look at what it takes to build a business, win, loose and draw! Well done! I first saw an interview of Tommy on Charlie Rosethat is what made me order the book, both the interview and the book hit the mark for me!

Fewer still have left such an indelible mark on global culture. But this is more than just a fashion icon's memoir - it's a road map for building a brand, both professionally and personally. At 18 he opened his own clothing store, parlaying his uncanny instinct for style into a budding career as a fashion designer. To this day his approach to commerce is rooted in his positive view of the world. Through decades of triumph and turmoil, Tommy remained doggedly optimistic. Few designers have stayed on top of changing trends the way Tommy Hilfiger has. Growing up one of nine children in a working-class family in Elmira, New York, Tommy suffered from dyslexia, flunked sophomore year of high school, and found himself constantly at odds with his father. American Dreamer brims with anecdotes that cover Tommy's years as a club kid and scrappy entrepreneur in 1970s New York as well as unique insights into the exclusive A-list personalities with whom he's collaborated and interacted, from Mick Jagger and David Bowie to Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. In this tale of grit and glamour, setbacks and comebacks, business and pop culture icon Tommy Hilfiger shares his extraordinary life story for the first time. Since designing his first collection of "classics with a twist" three decades ago, Tommy Hilfiger has been synonymous with all-American style - but his destiny wasn't always so clear. This is the story of a true American original, told for the first time in his own words, wit