The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-06-28
SHE ATTRACTS ATTENTION.
a xoanR womAa who Deslgns Costumes In
wsser Ceaors whEle Yea waaA.

1900
In the dressmaking department Of
one Of the largest and oldest firms On
Broadway may be seen any day 4 great
wooden horse, who Ii on duty only when
q riding habit Ii 70 be fitted, keeping
guard over q girl as she works. The big
white head il Just above the golden one
~ she bends over her table.
With color box In hand she puts the
finishing touches TO the picture Of an
elaborate evening toilet, for that Ii her
business, the designing Of costumes, and
IL Ii because she Ii probably the only
woman In this country who does that
sort Of thing In public and who designs
o dress while you wait that she causes
20 much interest She il English, you
know at once by her accent She is
young and pretty, with a small oval
faee, big blue eyes, with dark lashes
and strongly marked hrows, masses Of
fluffy light hair, q sweet smile and O
charming II Altogether she seems
in perfect harmony with her dainty
work Her home Is In London. Her
father is o member of a well known
printing firm of Drury lane.
The idea of having ones costumes de-
signed by IN artist is comparatively new
In this country, though it il very com
mon In England and France, where all
the large establishments keep designers
Like every new thing, ii takes some
time to get it generally adopted, and
many of the old customers still prefer
to take the gowns>selected by the dress
makers or filters But the new ones all
have the designer, and after trying her
once they never desert her.
1.-The American women are often
harder to please than French on Eng
lish," says this little artist, s'and this
il the reason: A woman will see ONE
thing ON some one, and she wants the
same thing, regardless Of whether it il
becoming to her or not A big, bony
woman wants o gown like one she saw
ON O small, trim woman. She does not
consider her own style. She il not con-
tent to be picture in herself, when per-
fectly dressed. but she wants to copy
some one else.
They have got to be educated up to
this new way of doing things. The fit
ters are all right I'm their way, and ]
could not do what they IAN. I don't
suppose Icould cut agown IL my life de-
pended On It. They give all their atten-
tion to making o thing ft. to making a
perfect gown regardless of how it suits
the woman who il TO wear it They
would even put q light blue dress ON q
woman with q yellow skin, and they are
always spelling the very lines I'm the
figure that should never be cut. The
dresses should be designed by an artist
and made by o good filter. The woman
herself usually suggests the gown 10 me
by the way she walks across the room,
by the color of her hair or by the com
plexion. / III see I'm what style of gown
abe would look best.
THE work is delightful when O WON
an comes TO me who can appreciate my
ideas and grasp an artistic conception,
but IL Is not so pleasant when one with
q slouchy figure wants o tight fitting
waist instead OF drapery to conceal her
bad lines.
"A most charming actress came to
me not long ago. She had had am nm
pleasant 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 designed her o costume Of yellow
silk and gold embroidery, she looking
On while / painted. She was 80 delight
ed that she made me spend some two
hours with her selecting the fan, shoes,
etc, 10 DO worn with the gown. I often
have this 90 do-choosing the parasol.
hats gloves, shoes and stockings-that
the whole costume may be i'm perfect
harmony. Actresses are the most salts
factory TO work for, as their costumes
give one greater scope. greater opportu-
nifty"
The sketches are all done in water
colors, using body color, . lie 10 quicker
and more satisfactory ON the gray board
with o smooth surface New York Sum.