UNIVERSITY SOLVES POTENTIALLY COSTLY WAGE DISPUTE: TOMMY HILFIGER COMES TO CAPE

Noted clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger of New York brought some good news to Cape Girardeau last week: He announced an agreement between Tommy Hilfiger U.S.A. Inc. and Hartmarx for the manufacture of Hilfiger's popular clothing line at Hartmarx's subsidiary the Thorngate Ltd. plant in Cape Girardeau.

The plant manager, Ron Dirnberger, said about 40 new workers already are on board to handle the additional work and he promised that more will be hired. That's always good news.

Hilfiger's complete line of men's and boy's clothing is sold throughout the nation in more than 500 outlets. All suits and sports jackets in the line will be made at the Cape Girardeau plant; other Hartmarx plants will produce other Hilfiger clothing.

While many designers want their clothing to be imported, Hilfiger insists that his "tailored clothing" line be made in the United States. Hilfiger's decision to go with Hartmarx, which operates 40 garment plants in the United States, and Hartmarx's decision to manufacture a major part of his line in Cape Girardeau, shows a confidence in American productivity and in the capabilities of Thorngate's Cape Girardeau plant and its workforce.