Fans line up to meet Tommy Hilfiger

Amalia Flores didn't let her lack of transportation stop her from going to Macy's to meet Tommy Hilfiger. The Rio Metro took her from her Mission home to the McAllen bus station, where she hopped on the McAllen Express Transit to reach the store by 10:30 a.m., almost three hours before Hilfiger would make his appearance.

Flores was first in a line of about 100 people who lined up to meet the legendary designer Saturday afternoon at La Plaza Mall in McAllen.

Flores, 59, even shelled out $64 to purchase Hilfiger's new book, Iconic America: A Roller-Coaster Ride through the Eye-Popping Panorama of American Pop Culture, calling it "an investment" she was willing to make in the name of the brand she's worn for about 20 years.

"I like his clothing. It's very solid and durable. It's a timeless style," she said.

Hilfiger, himself dressed in classic Americana style with a red and white striped shirt and blue blazer, took a break from designing his fall 2009 runway collection in New York to visit South Texas for a few hours. He arrived a mere hour and a half before the scheduled 1 p.m. autograph signing.

The success of his brand, both in the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, still surprises the fashion mogul.

"It makes me very proud because I never really expected to be in this position," Hilfiger said prior to the event. "I expected to be successful but I never expected to have this huge fan base and never expected to be a global brand."

Following his visit, Hilfiger planned to return to New York until Monday. The next week comprises of visits to France, Ireland, Italy and Germany. Still, Hilfiger said stops in smaller communities help give him important feedback on the direction of his line.

"Meeting the customers is fun because I learn from the customers, and I always want to give them what they want," he said. "They always feed me ideas."

After meeting Hilfiger, Flores lingered downstairs, waiting for the fashion show that would begin at 2:30 p.m.

"He gave me a perfume and autographed it. I told him ‘You know what's going to happen Tommy? This is going to make me love you more.'" she said.

"I'm thrilled."