Months after starring in a public service announcement for the nation’s largest autism advocacy group, clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger is opening up about his personal connection to the disorder.

Hilfiger says his 16-year-old daughter, Kathleen, has autism as does his stepson.

Despite visiting doctors at some of the nation’s most prestigious universities, Hilfiger says it took a long time to understand what was going on with his daughter who was initially diagnosed as “developmentally delayed.”

Now, Hilfiger says she’s doing well, attending a special school and receiving appropriate assistance, but he says more attention to the disorder is needed.

The designer appeared in an Autism Speaks PSA last year that compared the odds of finding success in the fashion industry to the odds of a child having autism. In the video he simply said “my family is affected by autism,” without elaborating on the circumstances.

“The government is not involved in it. People aren’t donating enough money. There’s not enough research,” Hilfiger told the New York Daily News. To read more click here.

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