Which Canadian businessman partnered with Tommy Hilfiger in the early 1990s?

Which Canadian businessman partnered with Tommy Hilfiger in the early 1990s? The businessman was Lawrence Stroll.

Stroll became a major financial and strategic figure in the growth of Tommy Hilfiger’s brand. Alongside Hong Kong investor Silas Chou, he provided backing after Hilfiger’s brand left Murjani International in 1989. Stroll and Joel Horowitz, both former Ralph Lauren executives, were also brought into the newly formed Tommy Hilfiger, Inc.

Stroll’s background was especially relevant to the deal. He had helped bring fashion labels including Pierre Cardin and Ralph Lauren to Canada and had experience building international licensing and distribution businesses. His partnership with Chou helped turn Hilfiger’s strongly American-looking sportswear into a global commercial operation.

The question can cause confusion because the other names are also famous fashion-industry figures. Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren were designers whose companies operated in overlapping markets, while Bernard Arnault is a French luxury executive. Neither is the Canadian businessman associated with Tommy Hilfiger’s early expansion. Stroll later became widely known for his investments in luxury brands and Formula 1.