Model Abby Champion described walking the runway for Tommy Hilfiger at New York Fashion Week on Sept 10 as a full-circle moment. The 29-year-old reflected on her childhood memories of the label while preparing for the runway presentation at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.
Speaking exclusively on the Live From E! Stream: Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2027 Runway Show broadcast, Champion shared how working with the fashion house reconnected her with her high school years.
"I had the most all-American way of growing up and I feel like being a part of this takes me back to that," Champion said during the interview. "It just brings me back to my younger self when I was in high school wearing Tommy Hilfiger. I'm like, 'This is a full-circle moment.'"
Champion, who married actor Patrick Schwarzenegger last September, revealed that preparation for the show at the Plaza Hotel was among the most relaxed she had ever experienced. "It's been very chill this morning," she said of her backstage routine. "I got here very early, enough time for hair and makeup. Seeing lots of familiar faces, and we're just kind of having a very chill lead up until the show, it's been great."
Reconnecting with Industry Friends at Fashion Week
For Champion, reuniting with industry colleagues remains one of her favorite aspects of New York Fashion Week each year. "Throughout the year, you don't see all the designers and the models and the stylists," she explained. "So, it's fun to just catch up and see everyone in one environment."
She also highlighted the thrill of taking to the runway during major fashion presentations. "Just the adrenaline of shows," she said of the experience, "it's always so much fun."
Champion has built a prominent career in modeling, appearing in major advertising campaigns and walking in runway shows across international fashion capitals. Her high-profile personal life attracted widespread public interest following her long-term relationship and September 2025 marriage to Schwarzenegger, an actor and son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver.
New York Fashion Week is held semi-annually in February and September as one of the fashion industry's primary global events alongside London, Milan, and Paris. The September shows spotlight upcoming spring collections, bringing international designers, models, stylists, and media to venue locations across Manhattan.
Historic Venue at The Plaza
The Spring 2027 showcase carried personal significance for brand founder Tommy Hilfiger, who lived at The Plaza Hotel with his wife, Dee Ocleppo, for more than a decade. "I've long been inspired by American icons, and there are few places that embody that spirit more than The Plaza," Hilfiger said in a statement released ahead of the presentation.
Hilfiger noted the venue's rich history of famous guests as a backdrop for the new collection. "From Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra to The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, generations of cultural greats have passed through its doors, and this fall we welcome in a new era of brand ambassadors and campaign stars," Hilfiger stated.
He added: "If those walls could talk, they would tell some of the city's greatest stories."
Founded in 1985, the Tommy Hilfiger brand is globally recognized for its classic American sportswear aesthetic and signature red, white, and blue logo. The Plaza Hotel, located at Fifth Avenue and Central Park South, has stood as a historic Manhattan architectural landmark since its opening in 1907.
The Spring 2027 collection added another chapter of runway looks to the historic hotel as the brand debuted its latest seasonal designs.
