The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1894-06-13
SHE ATTRACTS ATTENTION.
A Young Woman Who Designs Cos.
TUNES in Water COIOrs While YOx


| A Young Woman Who Designs Co.'S
tunes in Water CoIors While You
Wait.
In the dressmaking department of one of
the largest and oldest firms on Broadway.
New York, may be seen any day a great
wooden morse, who is on duty only when a
riding habit is to be fitted, keeping guard
over girl she works The big white
head is just above the golden one as she
bends over her table
With color box in hand she puts the fin
ishlng touches to the picture of an elaborate
evening tollet-for that is her business the
designing Of costumes-and it is because
she Is the only woman in the country who
does that sort Of thing in public and who
designs dress while you wait, that she
causes so much interest. She is English
you know at once by her accent. She is
young and pretty, with a small oval face
big blue eyes, with dark lashes and strong
ly marked brows, masses Of fluffy light
nalr sweet smile, and a charming man
ner. Altogether, she seems in perfect har-
mony with her dainty work Her home is
| In London Her father is a member Of a
well known printing firm of Drury Lane.
The idea of having ones costumes de-
signed by an artist is comparatively new
In this country, though it is very common
IN England and France where all the large
establishments keep designers. Like every
new thing, it takes some time to get it
generally adopted, and many of the old
customers still prefer to take the gowns
selected by the dressmakers or filters But
the new ones all have the designer, and
after trying her once they never desert.
The American women are often harder
| to please than the French or English"
| says this little artist. land this is the rea-
| son: A woman will see something some
| one and she wants the same thing, re-
| gardless of whether it is becoming to her
or not A big, bony woman wants a gown
| like one she on a small, trim woman.
| She does not consider her own style. She
| Is not content to be a picture in herself,
when perfectly dressed, but she wants to
copy some one else.
They have got to be educated up to this
| new way of doing things. The filters are
| all right in their way, and I could not do
what they cam l don't suppose l could
cut gown if my life depended on it. They
give all their attention to making a thing
tit, to making a perfect gown regardless of
how it suits the woman who is to wear it..
They would even put light blue dress on
woman with yellow skin, and they are
always spelling the very lines in the figure
| that should never be cut. The dresses
| should be designed by artist and made
| by a good filter. The woman herself usually
suggests the gown to me by the way she
walks across the room, by the color Of her
| halr or by the complexion | can see in
what style Of gown she would look best.
THE work is delightful when a woman
and grasp artistic conception, but it is
| not SO pleasant when one with a slouchy
| Inquire wants a tight fitting waist instead Of
| drapery to conceal her bad lines.
"A most charming actress came to me not
| long ago. She had had an unpleasant time
with the filters. They found her exacting
| and hard to please, and she complained that
| they would spoil her lines and could not
catch an idea. l designed her a costume of
| yellow silk and gold embroidery, she looking
| on while | painted. She so delighted
| that she made me spend two hours with
| her selecting the fans, shoes, etc, to be
| worn with the gown. l often have this to
| do-choosing the parasol, hat, gloves. shoes
| and stockings-that the whole costume may
! be in perfect harmony. Actresses are the
! most satisfactory to work for, as their cos
| tunes gives one greater scope, greater op-
| portunty.
Il have just designed a cycling costume
| that is to be recommended by firm
The sketches are all done in water coors,
using body color, as it is quicker and more
| satisfactory to the gray board with a
| smooth surface.-New York Sun.