Of the various creatives currently in the public eye, model, knitting enthusiast, and founder of her eponymous brand, Lindsay Vrkofnik is one whose identity is instantly recognizable. With her color-blocked fits, floaty fashion pieces, and love of the outdoors, her Instagram feed (which doubles as an aspirational mood board) highlights the playful aesthetic she’s keen to project into the creative world.
Vrkovnik’s bright and bold portrayal of life is the result of confident self-expression. As a young woman, she used fashion and beauty as a way to navigate two seemingly opposing worlds: the simplicity of her hometown outside Toronto and the growing phenomenon of pop culture. Surrounded by lakes and greenery, she would often watch MTV to connect with a generation of Y2K style aficionados, drawing inspiration from the various singers and girl groups on screen.
Now Vlkovnik is looking in a different direction. Living amid the hustle and bustle of New York, she retreats to nature, away from her everyday urban responsibilities, to generate ideas for her knitwear brand. Her new campaign with Tommy Hilfiger, produced by Hypebae, follows the brand’s ambassador as she escapes to the picturesque countryside of Connecticut. Basking in the summer sunshine and wearing Tommy Hilfiger’s latest collection, she offers a glimpse into a sacred moment when she pauses to nurture her creative spirit, forgetting all about her public image and focusing on what truly drives her.
As part of the campaign, Hypebae sat down with Vrckovnik to learn more about these moments and explore how her time away has allowed her to reconnect with what she loves, find inspiration, and build her own legacy.
Read the full interview and check out the new Tommy Hilfiger summer campaign starring Lindsay Vrkownik below.
Hypebae: As a creative, why do you value spending time away from the city?
Lindsay Vrkofnik: In a big city, it’s easy to be in “work mode” all the time. Being busy can be stimulating in its own way, but I think it’s also important to give your mind a break. Time away helps my creativity and gives me a different perspective on things. Also, living in a city and repeating your routine can easily become monotonous. So it’s nice to stop going to the studio every day and going home or seeing friends. It gives your mind time to rest and slow down. It can be hard at times, but it’s so necessary for any creative person.
Apart from work, how do these breaks benefit your life as a model?
As a model and creative who has to look presentable in the city, it’s nice to get away and not have to worry about that at all. It allows me to be more present with myself and not worry about what I’m wearing or the state of my skin. When I go to upstate New York, I stay in my pajamas the whole time and go to a cabin with no mirrors. It helps reset my confidence and I feel like I can appreciate new things.
You have a strong online presence, but how do you find new sources of inspiration during your offline time?
I don’t have a specific process for finding inspiration, it’s more about refreshing my creative eyes. When I go to upstate New York or on longer trips abroad, I try to see new things that I don’t often see in my daily life. I use a lot of color in my designs, which inspires my outfits. So, when I’m in nature, I have the chance to find new inspiration for my color palette. It’s important to get out of my comfort zone and see new things.
Tommy Hilfiger’s new campaign is set in a timeless suburban resort, how do you interpret timeless American design?
Timeless American design is simple, but well-made. In terms of clothing, it’s about items that serve every part of your day, from your 9-to-5 job to your day after. It also means being comfortable and functional. This shows up in clothes that are well-made and nothing extraneous. I wouldn’t call my style “timeless” because it’s very colorful, bright and bold, but at the same time, I feel like I’m dressing for my own beliefs and true to myself, so I guess I would say it is.
How did Tommy Hilfiger instill this classic, timeless style?
Tommy Hilfiger truly embodies classic American design and has always stayed true to this timeless aesthetic of style. I admire brands that stay true to their identity and don’t change with trends to please their customers. Tommy Hilfiger has always been classic. When you see someone wearing a Tommy look, you know it’s Tommy Hilfiger. It’s the best compliment when someone sees my work and recognizes it.
Tell us a bit about your relationship with fashion – what influences your personal style today?
What influences my style is always changing. I always try to get inspiration from things I see in the real world instead of taking images from the internet. I try to stay away from Pinterest and Instagram. They can be great resources, but when we all use these platforms, our style can end up looking the same as everyone else’s. I love seeing how strangers style themselves, even if it’s just a grandma who doesn’t realize she’s making a fashion statement.
Where did your love for knitwear come from?
Before graduating, I took a hand knitting class for credits. I wasn’t very good at it at first, but I enjoyed knitting. When the pandemic happened, I started knitting again and eventually launched my own brand. The pandemic was terrible, but it was a blessing for me, because without it, I wouldn’t have had time to knit and work. Now that I’m busy with other work, I definitely knit less clothes for my own brand, but at first, I was alone and knitting for hours every day.
As a business owner, I often struggle with the fact that I don’t get to do as much of what I love, but when I have time alone I’m able to reconnect with that – sometimes it’s knitting for myself, sometimes it’s trying new knitting patterns or color palettes.
So how do you hope to build a legacy for your brand that will be as long-lasting as Tommy Hilfiger?
Tommy Hilfiger has been around since I was a kid and that image has never changed. It inspires me because I try to design what I want to make and what I really want to put out into the world, without being influenced by others. It can be hard because people are driven by trends. A few years ago, knitwear was really on. There were some really big trends and every magazine was writing about it, and it was great. But when the enthusiasm dies down, you start to wonder if you should pivot to fit the cycle of trends. That’s when I tell myself, this is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’m not going to walk away from it. That’s how I want to create a lasting legacy like Tommy Hilfiger.
Where do you see your creativity taking you next?
I always try to let my brand and creativity grow naturally without pushing too hard. I recently hired more knitters in my small studio in Brooklyn. It’s always fun to hire new people because I give them a lot of freedom and they can use it to help me build the brand. I’m just a small designer, but these new ideas have helped me grow. This year, I want to do a pop-up store or something in a brick-and-mortar store. I push myself every day to feel proud and happy about what I’m making.
Having had a multifaceted career as a model and designer, what would you like to be known for?
My number one passion in life is clothing. Creating clothes is a more recent milestone in my life, but I’ve always loved styling myself and putting outfits together to share with the world. Whether it’s creating clothes or getting outfit inspiration on Instagram, I think that’s what I want to be known for. I want to inspire people to enjoy what they wear and find joy in fashion and dressing up. When someone buys my clothes and tells me they feel better or more expressive, it makes me happy.
Check out Hypebae’s latest Tommy campaign in the gallery above.
To discover and shop Tommy Hilfiger’s new collection, head over to the company’s website now.