Naomi Campbell at the show in New York. (Reuters)

New York, Sept. 11: Tommy Hilfiger, the American sportswear designer, abandoned hip-hop yesterday to launch a glamorous nautical collection at New York Fashion Week.

Gone were the logo-emblazoned sweatshirts and baggy jeans that once epitomised Hilfiger?s street-wise style. In fact, there was not a scrap of denim to be seen.

Instead, the designer had charted a course for jet-set elegance ? under the new H Hilfiger label ? inspired by the Riviera lifestyle of his celebrity customers, many of whom packed the front rows for the show.

J. Lo, wearing a cream cashmere mini-dress and knee-boots, gazed across the catwalk at her former partner, Sean ?P. Diddy? Combs. Janet Jackson and Lil? Kim rubbed shoulders with the rapper Ja Rule, the actor Alan Cumming, tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams and members of the band The Black Eyed Peas. Next summer the new collection will no doubt grace the yachts and streets of St Tropez, Portofino and Monte Carlo.

Tailored jackets and pin-striped trousers were accessorised with silk cravats and pocket handkerchiefs. Cheeky sailor shorts were worn with double-breasted vest jackets and Bermuda shorts with rainbow-striped yachting blazers.

Silk skirts featured flag and rope prints. White terrycloth bikinis were worn under navy eyelet-cotton short-coats; navy blue bikinis under long, white satin wraps with appliqued rope trims.

For evening, the nautical palette of red, white and blue was replaced by vibrant s hades of orange,turquoise, lemon and gold. Halter-necked column dresses came in geometric-printed silk, and slick trouser suits in polka-dotted satin Lurex.

Naomi Campbell opened the show in a navy and white matelot sweater dress that covered her from head to toe from the front but revealed a bare back. Later, she closed the show in a cropped leather jacket over a nautical-print bikini.