New Delhi, April 18 -- Tommy Hilfiger, the designer famous for his signature American preppy design aesthetic, was in India earlier this week for the launch of his eponymous brand's new store in Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai.

During an interview with Lounge at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel, Hilfiger, 74, who's marking 40 years of his brand this year, talked about his association with India, his love for classics and personal style. Edited excerpts:

My first collection was made in Mumbai, near Juhu Beach, in 1979. I was a young boy then, thinking that I could become a designer or create a collection of clothes. I sketched everything and worked with Indian fabrics and tailors to develop a collection. I stood there while they cut and sewed, ...