Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-04-03
AN UNCROWM KING.
Worth, the Dress Monarch, Stin
Holds His Court
About His Hivais, and Wherein They
Fail 20 Reacil His Excellence
.-.Thrcc Of His Latest
Productions.
IIucy H. Hooper in Inter Ocean. ]

society IadleS l th.nK II l belonged TO any
category, excepting that of the young girls,
] would order my dresses at Worth's. The
king Of the dreasmakers still maintains his
sway. There have bceA rivals near Eia
throne, but none has as yet succeeded in de-
thIoEing Kim. Rodriguez lacks invention,
and viii reproduce on, moiel 100 times.
Doucet makes lovely toilets Oil soft aerial
materials, but they lack richness of effect.
Felix's gowns are al! constructed with view
t. the glare of the footishts; but for fertility
OF invention, for artistic combinations or
color, for audacity of design, and for grace
in drapin, the most rcb9llous of materials.
Worth still rcna,ls Incompatible. Tho
great establishment on the Rue de la Paix,
with its balcony ratings in gilded iron, is as
ever the palace OF fashion. TO be perfectly
well dressed my countrywomen, put money
into your purses and straightway enter thos,
tempting portals.
TIE ESTABLISHMENT.
When You enter the establishment itself,
which is situated on the FIRST floor lin Ameri-
can ideas the Socontil, you might fancy your
s'if IN bank, were it not for the pack
ages Of uncut dry goods piled upon tho
shelves ana the multitude of women driftic.
continually to and fro--forewolnen, filters,
call-%irl' workwomen etc Worth employs
LEGO hands in his dressmakinG department
alone, apart from the manufacturers Of
trimmings, the embroijerers, etc, who work
for linn outside. Olo dress, manufactured
for tho Russian coronation, occupie three
months in the embroidoring. And the day
will come when this vast establishment will
lall to pieces like q house of cards. That
will be when Worth himself dies or ret;reS
fronl business. He is less the handspring than
the soul of the whole Affair. He is here, there
anl everyWh:re; now experimenting the last
trying on Of a suppcuou5 costume, then set
thing a dispute between two of his leading
ladies; next combining two impossible shades
OF color, or modifying the fall Of lace
ilounce-h' keeps everything going by his
will and energy AMI immense vitality.
SECRETS OF SUCCESS.
At certain perlo IS of the year he becomes
invisible. He shuts himself up with yards of
rich materials, ana evolves from his fertile
brain the designs for tile novelties of tho
coming season a nannkn in wire, placed
upon platform :.ore him, is clothe in u
skirt hastily stitched together by the sewin.
woman of the hCu'e. On this foundation
Worth proceeds TO elaborate his new ideas as
to fl ounces, tunics, or drarcry by means o.
inunmorable pins When the work is finished
it is carried or to be rendered permanent
with threat anI needle. a part of his sue
c.ss lies in His wonderful management Of
Lr&p2ry VITA one turn OF his hand he can
brstow grac, ana elegance to til. flow of q
scarf OF tie liLcs OF n tun!c that may Ee
sought for i'll vain in tho estab-
N,hlnents Of his liva.s This gilt,
and his eye for cJlor, havo given
hin his artistic pro ?m.ncnco in his chosen
s.herc, and it certsiny does not require .
sense Of tho lr,tAetic to make one appreciate
WorthS best work, have llaown wealthy
American n lies to turn away from the mar.
vclS Of lis showroo!nS with the remark thaG
"ihc red plush costume Mrs. Brown bouch5
at Higgins" or "ri!at sweet emerald green
satin t.at M2cstInSo 6 Iivins hal for u
pattern dress last year Vas quite superior
to anything they had yet seen in Paris.
Worth stu lies sO!:e Of his most striking
effects from nature, AMI his most daring
cOmtinut0uj OF "o.Or have been borrowed
from the puEagc Of the birds, the petals OF
tho flowers, or tie vegetation and earliest
blossoms Ct ;nrInG.
IN TIE jEOW-ROOIS.
His show rooms are on the second nocr Of
his establishment, ard it is notevery one that
Is piiyilssoi to enter there, else his best
moies wou,! be rutAlossly copied ana vul.
gAr.z,d by aeconi-clais dressnlakers. You
pass through a suite oil lorIly looking rooms,
with heavy curtains aud dark Sroea velve5 az
tho windows, and mostly furnished with
huge mirrors and sofas, with coverings to
mitch the curtains. There are no carpets,
the highly polished hoogs always shining like
glass. AT The very ell OF the suite is single
narrow room, with carpotci door and walls
lined with mirrors Tnere, set out in state
like 50 many B!ueb,arls wives, that have
undergone the process Of decapitation instsal
Of hanging, are usually to be found thc
last creations Of the artists fancy. Hare, for
instance is dinner dress intended for an
Austrian arch duchess. The train and corsag,
are in the darkest possible shades of garnet
vt.vct, tho latter long AMI narrow, and line
throughout with cream satin, fringe with
large velvet roses in their natural hueS. just
below the waist the train is turned back III
wide revers to show the lining, these revers
being caught together over the train. TIL,
undrrskirt is in gold, yellow satin, ana laid
IN wide box plated f,lls; this hounce Is
e!.ed with two ruhl's Of white lace.
FOR A SPANISH BRIDE.
In strong contrast to these spleulors is q ball
dress for n young Spanish brido that stands
just beside the Austrian lady's magnlticcacc
1t is in white tulie, MA 70 up over pale pink
watrrcl silk Great bouquets OF red roses ana
of lilies of the valley retain the transverse
folds of tulie on the front Of the skirt, anl
the back of the skirt, which is short, Is Gov
cred with narrow tuile hounces The bou-
uuats uu the dress are sp:cia,ly worthy OK
notice They arc forlaed with seeming care
lessncss with long stalks and pref Use foliage,
and are iu the style known as a Ia bonne
femme tor good, woman fashion,, being sup
posed TO represent hounces that have been
carelessly cullca by passer-by aud noe
(, ouppd by a florist. Theit effect is at once
novel and picturesque.
RUSSIAN PRINCESS.
But the latest composed toilet in view IL
o. @ in which three STYLES of material ara
blended in happy combination. A corsago
and train of cinnamon brown satin are maio
with fiat folds extending perpendicularly
from the edge OF tho former in front. AT
the back these folds open out like the orifice
of a curnucopia, from whch flows the train
1t is narrow and laid in fat plaits, so as to
display to advantage tha sides of the skirt,
which are in gold yellow satin, brcca led all
oveg with very small pink roses. In front
the broalths of brocade part slightly so aI
to show Il frontage OF deep pink satin,
finished with a deep plated founca, anl
cd rpl at either side with ecru lace, two
rut,!r- Of whirh border the founce. Above
I d head NJ of the l,uuce is set an enor,rous
II ro>Cita, tuad" NJ tinS looms oT s1tln. This
li4vrl ,,N,! beau ,iui dress IS destined fer :
liu~s.uo p'h cess. e'j' - f@F YER i:t>St Of 1t,