Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-21

1 " k2O AkA6 Un ESSSESSs
A Visit 70 the Plain Parlor Of the
Fashionable Malo Mantua-maker Of
Brooklyn.
From the New York Sum-
In that part Of Atlantic avenue, Brooklyn,
N. Y, where there are many shopping stores of
the best class, there Is q narrow doorway leading
to second story apartments over one Of these
shops. There. is no sign Of any sort either on
the door, the stairs or the wall In front Of the
| apartments in question. let all day long on
every day but Sunday there roll up to that door
the most elegant vehicles, Of flashing surface,
behind steeds Of mettle, driven by iveried ser
wants. Out Of those equipages and through
the doorway step ladies singly and In
couples, all fashiOnably and generally expen-
| sively attired. Sewes glitter in their eyes and
on their fingers, and maids follow them carrying
parcels, reticules, or lap dogs Other women.
| equally well to do. turn in at this doorway from
the daily parade OF fair shoppers on the side
| walk 1t is said that not alone the wealth and
fashion and beauty of Brooklyn is thus repre-
sented. but of San Francisco, Chicago New Or
leans, Boston, Philadelphia and the other great
towns as well. The Sun reporter, who passed
through this plain portal and mounted the mar
row stairs heard a clicking and shipping as of
shears and the music of feminine voices through
the doorway near the landing, and going on to
the next door entered and found himself in a
very ordinary apartment furnished like COM
mOnplace parlOr of Is years ago.
| Two or three portraits in oil. framed in gilded
plaster and protected by pink mosquito netting,
hung against the walls, and set of five chairs
and lounge, covered with brown rep, stood
about the floor. On table were copies of a
French periodical LIE Moniteal,' de la Node On a
little stand were hundreds of little bits of textile
fabrics of various sorts, as though wOman's
| ragbag had been emptied there. For the rest.
there was nothing notable but two big black
walnut wardrobes and a very stout German, mid
Ole aged, smiling, in q brown suit, with heavy
gold chain on his ample corporation.
He was man dressmaker of whom the re-
| porter had heard that he could make dress
better and charge higher price for the work
than any other dressmaker in town, and that
| on account of the first popularity and in spite
| of the other he commanded the cream of the
trade. 1t was told of him that the richest fab
RIGS, even brOcaded silks at CID yard. cost less
to purchase than to be made up by him. and
| there was told to the reporter a story of hand
some young woman who bought a pretty piece
OF calico at few cents yard and paid $25 to
nave the man dressmaker fit her with it, Yet
| 1t was said that this young woman was not I'M
happy, because every times she washed it-six
before, the art Of the man dressmaker being of
| that nature that nothing could dsarrange what
he once had shaped. conspicuous BROOKLYN
stOrekeeper, In speaking of this artists peculi-
oA'1iCo, SdiO tudt IL Que Oh MS customers pre-
sumed to suggest the manner in which she
would like her dress made the man invariably
| refused to have anything more to do with
her.
II am not the only man dressmaker." said
ne. Ihere are two others on this avenue, and
| there Is one in Court street You heard OF me-
probably, because have the best part of the
business over here. l learned nv trade by
| regular apprenticeship in Europe. and when I
had served my time travelled from one big
fOo nnfh Inv n,lar.
| Is not the only man dressmaker in Europe
lhere are others in Paris, there is one great one
In LONDON. and Muller, who makes the court
dresses in Berlin, IS as famous in Europe as
Worth himself. Worth. by the way is dead and
his business is In the hands of his sons They
do but little work themselves. Designers and
cutters also men, carry on the business But
this is the country for that line of business be-
cause more money is spent for dress by Ameri-
cans than 6y any other people in the world
from American women. When l came to
America in 1857 found man cutting and fit
ting ladies' clOaks and riding habits for Brooks
Brothers, and since then there have come to
New York firm of men dressmakers and two
womens establishments where men do the de-
signing. cutting, and fitting. These are all in
Fifth avenue"
suppose l was woman wanting dress.
of me?"
''You would come to ask nv assistance
would look at your figure, hair, complexion and
age. and would tell you what color to buzz If
you were wise, and knew me well enough to
trust me. you would let me buy your goods for
YOU because could 90 better in the price than
you could. Having got your goods and taken
good look at you could fit you to without
| measurement, but the probability is that would
take your measure and tell you when to call
Then would cut out the goods. The design
you would leave to me, because it is my bust
| ness to know how to shape dress. to make
any figure stylish, and to match the proper
coors with your predominant color. don ire
fuse the advice of all my customers, for among
| the women have fitted there are very many Of
the most perfect taste and judgment, and it ia
pleasure to have their help. Those are the best
people to work for. They know their own
minds and appreciate good work and taste.
Your shallow pates are the hardest to suit They
are not OF the same mind for two hours
"My people do not know my business have
two basters, q sleeve maker, a shirt maker. two
to sew the inside OF waists and one to make
outtonhOles. Not one of these can do anything
put ner own work. could make dress from
beginning to end, but never sew a stitch.
cut the design Of the dress for the woman in
question, and having pinned it together. tell
the baster to follow the pins. When the woman
comes. my daughter or somebody else puts on
the dress. and when all is ready come and look
at 1t, putting mark or pin here and there. as
the prospective alterations require You ask
about my charges. They are high, but not ridicu-
lOus l have seen dresses that Worth has
charged $120 for which could make profit on
at sos. Did you ever see one Of Worth's dresses3
Here is one that did not lit, and has come to me
to be made over"
From a peg in one of the wardrobes he took
down a skirt of heavy wine-colored velvet,
gathered at the belt and full at the bottom. It
was 80 rich that everywhere the light fell upon
the edges of the creases differing depths Of
color were produced. In front just below the
belt. the velvet was slashed, and, as the edges
fell apart, more and more was seen of an in.
sertiOn Of shirred satin the color of Burgundy
wine, and laden down with metal braid OF the
hue Of old gold, and arranged in q fanciful pat
tern. Sewed to the belt, inside was q htt of
broad white tape like boot strap, with the
name and address of Worth printed ON 1t In
gilt characters.
The Reason Why.
From brakes Travellers Magazine.
where is the Old steward2" inquired a