How Tommy Hilfiger digitised showrooms and wholesale with 3D and data

PVH Corp has transformed Tommy Hilfiger's wholesale operations by deploying digital showrooms that replace physical samples with three-dimensional product assets, enable virtual buying appointments and integrate order data across its planning and supply chain systems. The initiative, part of a broader digital transformation under the company's PVH+ plan, aims to reduce costs, shorten lead times and improve data flow between wholesale customers and internal teams.

What technology underpins Tommy Hilfiger's digital showrooms?

Tommy Hilfiger's digital showrooms centre on 3D product visualisation software that allows buyers to view garments in detail without requiring physical samples. The system displays colour, fabric texture and fit variations digitally, enabling wholesale customers to place orders from virtual appointments conducted via video conference or through self-service portals. PVH has invested heavily in creating a library of digital assets for its brands, with Tommy Hilfiger serving as a key pilot for the technology before wider rollout.

The platform connects to PVH's enterprise resource planning and product lifecycle management systems, so that order data captured during virtual appointments flows directly into production planning and inventory allocation. This integration means that buying decisions made in digital showrooms inform fabric procurement, manufacturing schedules and distribution planning in near real time, reducing the lag that traditionally exists between wholesale order windows and factory production.

How does the digital shift reduce costs and speed to market?

Physical sample production represents a significant expense for apparel companies, requiring fabric, labour, shipping and storage across regional showrooms. By moving to 3D samples, PVH eliminates much of this overhead. Buyers can view the full assortment digitally, with physical samples produced only for key styles or when a customer specifically requests them. This reduces both direct costs and the environmental footprint associated with sample garments that are never sold.

Digital showrooms also compress the wholesale calendar. Buyers no longer need to travel to central showroom locations or wait for sample shipments, meaning buying appointments can occur earlier in the development cycle and accommodate more iterations. The shortened timeline allows Tommy Hilfiger to adjust product mixes closer to the selling season, incorporating trend insights or regional preferences that would have been locked in months earlier under a traditional wholesale model.

Which wholesale customers have adopted virtual buying?

PVH has rolled out digital showrooms to wholesale partners globally, prioritising large department store chains and specialty retailers that represent the bulk of Tommy Hilfiger's third-party distribution. The system accommodates both scheduled virtual appointments, where sales teams guide buyers through the collection via video call, and asynchronous browsing, where buyers log in independently to review styles and place preliminary orders.

Adoption varies by market and customer segment. Larger, more digitally sophisticated retailers have embraced the virtual model, particularly where travel restrictions during the pandemic accelerated comfort with remote buying. Smaller independent stockists and regional partners in some markets still prefer in-person appointments with physical samples, prompting PVH to maintain a hybrid approach that offers both digital and traditional showroom experiences depending on customer preference and commercial importance.

What data flows from digital showrooms into product planning?

Order data captured in digital showrooms provides PVH with earlier visibility into wholesale demand than was possible when orders were placed via paper forms or disconnected systems. The platform records not only confirmed purchases but also which styles buyers viewed, how long they spent on each item and which colour or size options were most frequently selected. This behavioural data informs demand forecasting and helps product teams identify potential bestsellers or underperformers before production begins.

The integration extends to regional sales teams and country managers, who receive dashboards showing booking trends, order volume by account and assortment gaps. This allows Tommy Hilfiger's commercial organisation to adjust regional allocations, negotiate with manufacturing partners or shift inventory between markets based on real-time wholesale appetite rather than relying solely on historical sell-through data or sales representative intuition.

• 3D product visualisation replaces physical samples for most wholesale appointments
• Virtual buying appointments conducted via video or self-service portals
• Order data integrates directly with ERP and product lifecycle management systems
• Behavioural analytics track buyer engagement with styles and colour options
• Hybrid model maintained for customers preferring traditional showrooms

How does digital wholesale fit PVH's wider transformation strategy?

Digital showrooms align with PVH's PVH+ strategic plan, which emphasises brand-building, digital acceleration and operational discipline across its portfolio. The company has prioritised technology investments that improve agility and reduce working capital, particularly in wholesale operations where long lead times and inventory risk remain significant challenges. By digitising the showroom experience, PVH aims to operate a leaner, more responsive wholesale model that complements its growing direct-to-consumer channels.

The initiative also supports sustainability commitments by reducing sample waste and travel-related carbon emissions. PVH has set public targets for emissions reduction and circular product design, and digital showrooms contribute to both goals by minimising physical prototypes and enabling more efficient product development cycles. As the technology matures, the company intends to extend similar capabilities to Calvin Klein and its other brands, leveraging the digital asset library and integration infrastructure built for Tommy Hilfiger.

What challenges remain in scaling digital wholesale?

Despite progress, digital showrooms face adoption barriers among smaller wholesale accounts and in markets where in-person relationships remain central to buying decisions. Some buyers still prefer to touch fabric and assess garment construction physically, particularly for premium or tailored items where quality cues are harder to convey digitally. PVH must balance the efficiency gains of virtual selling with the commercial risk of alienating traditional partners who generate meaningful revenue but lack the digital infrastructure or appetite for remote buying.

Technical challenges also persist. Creating accurate 3D assets requires skilled digital designers and quality control to ensure that virtual samples faithfully represent how finished garments will look and fit. Discrepancies between digital renderings and physical products can erode buyer trust and lead to returns or disputes. As PVH scales the programme, maintaining asset quality and ensuring consistency across thousands of styles each season will require sustained investment in both technology and talent.