The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-02-14
Men wha Make Dresses.

Me Who Make Dresses
IT, that part nf Atlantic Avenue,
Brooklyn, wh.r there are many shop
ming stores ct the best class, there i
a 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
walls ia front If the apartments IN
question Yet al day long on every
dav tut Sunday there yoll up to
that door the most elegant vehicles,
of flashing surface, behind steeds "i
mettle, driven 10y liveried servants.
Out of those equipages and through
the doorway step ladies singly and
in couples, all fashionable and gen.
erallv extensively attired. Jewels
glitter in their ears and on their I'M
gers, and maids follow them carry
ing parcels, reticules or lap dogs
O;her women, equally well-to do,
turn IN at this door wav 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 represented, but
of Fan Francisco, Chicago, New Or
leans, Boston, Philadelphia and 9TH
er great towns AS well. The Son re.
porter, who passed through this
plain portal and mounted the narrow
stairs. heard a clicking and swapping
as of shears and the music of feml'
nine voices through the doorway
near the landing, and going on I,
the mex door entered and found
himself in a very ordinary apart
ment furnished like a commonplace
parlor of about twenty-five yeari
ago.
Two or three portraits in oil. fran
ed in gilded plaster and protected 10y
pink mesquite netting. hung agains
the walls. anda set of five chairs ane
a lounge, covered with brown rep
stood about the floor. On the tabl'
were copies of a French periodical
lie Moaiteur de la Mode. On
stand were hun dreds of little bits o
textile fabrics of various sorts, a
though n wuman's ragbag had been
emrtied there. For the rest, Their
Was nothing notable but two bi,
black walnut warlrobes aud n yer,
stout German, middle aged, smiling
in "A brown suit, with IA heavy gplt
chain ON his ample corporation.
He WIS a man dressmaker, q
whom the reporter had heard tina
he could make "A dress better an,
charge a higher price for the worl
than any other dress maker in town
aud that on account of the first pc
cuiisrity and in spite of the other h
commanded the cream of the trade
Ii was told of him that the riches
fabrics, even brocaded silks at sl4
yard, cost less to purchase THAI u
be made up by him, and there wa
told to the reporter "A story of a hand
some young woman who bought
pretty piece of CALICO at few cent
= yard and paid SIS to have the maj
dressmaaer fit her with it. Yet i
was said that this young woman wa
not unhappy, because every tim
she washed it-six times in ALI
came out newer looking than before
the art of the man dressmaker beinj
of that nature that nothing eoul'
disarrange what he once had shap
ed. A conspicuous Brooklyn store
keeper, in speaking of this artist
peculiarities, said that il one of hi
customers presumed to suggest tn
manner in which she would like I
have her dress made the man invs
riably refused to have anythinI
more to do with her.
II am not the only man dress
maker" said he. There are tw
others on this avenue, and there
one in Court stree. You heard {
me, probably, because | have th
best part of the business over her,
| learned my trade by regular AZ
premiership in Europe, and when
had served my time / travelled iron
one big city to another, enlargin
my experience. Worth is not tn
only man dressmaker in Europ,
There are Others In Paris. There
one great one in London, and Mu
Ter, who makes the court dresses
Berlin, is AS famous in Europe q
Worth himself. Worth, by the wa,
is dead, and his business is in til
hands OF his sons. They do but ii
tie work themselves. Designers An
cutters, also men, carry on the bus
ness. But this Is the country fo
that line of business, because moi
money is spent for dress by Amer
cans than by any other people
the world. For years the bulk
Worth's income has been from til
American women. When | came
America in 1857, found a man Gu
ting and fitting ladies' cloaks and I
ding habits for Brooks Brothers, an
since then there has come to Ne
York a firm OF men dressmakers an
} two women's establishments whel
men do the designing. cutting an
fitting. These are all in Fifth ay,
nue."
Suppose | was a woman wantir
a dress, what would you, do an
what would you expect of me?"
You would come TO ask my a
sistance. l would look at your Fl
ure. hair and complexion III Va