When he was a 1969 high school student in Elmira, NY, Hilfiger opened his own small chain of stores called People’s Place. His goal: to bring big-city fashion to upstate New York. Sixteen years later he opened his own business in that big city. In The ‘90s, Hilfiger featured emerging music talent in his ad campaigns and this link to the music industry and popular culture helped propel his success. Hilfiger’s awards include the CFDA’s Menswear Designer of the Year (1995), GQ magazine’s Designer of the Year (1998) and International Designer of the Year (2002), VHl’s Fashion and Music recognition (1995) plus several Fifi honors from the fragrance industry. The Tommy Hilfiger Corporate Foundation actively supports many charities, and in 2009 announced a $2 million donation to Millennium Promise to help end extreme poverty.