Taylor, Adam D.

Tommy Hilfiger is a popular fashion designer who incorporates a unique mix of style, patriotism and cultural diversity into the advertising and marketing of his products. But does his approach communicate true equality or divide Americans through race, class, and/or consumerism? Does his conceptualization of cultural diversity support ideals of multiculturalism or promote principles of assimilation? Tommy Hilfiger's official website, www.tommy.com, is analyzed from a cultural studies perspective to examine these questions. Political economic, cultural economic and semiotic theories are applied at the levels of production, text and consumption to reveal whether hegemonic or counter-hegemonic themes prevail. As a result, it is determined that hegemonic themes of white, Anglo-Americanism and consumerism do prevail, while counter-hegemonic messages of multiculturalism are less dominant. Findings also indicate that there is still much progress to be made in terms of achieving cultural equality in the United States.