Evening star., 1898-10-29
Copyright. 1895 by the Inernati )nai Literary and
NaMs Service

Copyright 1885 by the Inte-nati )nai Literary and
News Service.)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star
NEW YORK. October -. 1898.
Where do the fashions come from?
EvoryhoGy knows. 1obody knows. Wom-
er's desire for variety, the eGict of Paris;
these are the accepted explanations.
Something. somebody clipped the wings
of the big sleeve and made it walk crest
fallen. Something, somebody made the
wide skirt skin-tight about the hips, COW
cred it with flounces and added tail to il
To mop the floor. Something somebody
swept away our modest neutral colOrs ami
gave US blood-red and black as the least
startling guise for the shy and retiring.
Worth. the great firms. are credited, ac-
cused. Every autumn We have exhibitions,
public. private. of their models: we ex-
anime. consider. which of them find
favor at the horse show, and settle down to
our winters styles.
We even imagine, if we think ourselves
yice in discernment, that at the great open
fgs. where model is compared with model,
we can trace in the holiness and originality
of one costume, or the daintiness and ele-
gance of another. the influence of the mans
brain or the WOman's brain at the head Of
the competing firms
In point 0f fact the great houses make
comparatively few OF their own fashions,
and II Is the rarest thing for any woman
10 make fashion.
In Paris. the home of novelty, beauty
and chic uSiiuess in feminine attire, there
live hundreds of obscure men dressmakers
Dt active brains, but without means Never
heard OF. struggling along from hand 20
mouth. these are the people who create
most OF the styles. Receiving small pay
for their work, often without work, they
exc out income by designing
Where First Model Comes From.
Suppose a novel idea strikes one of these
small artists he buys such material as will
body it cheaply but effectively in dress or
mantle. and takes his work to some firm
with reputation. If the great man sees
In il the possibilities of success, be buys it
outright giving the designer, according 20
the originality and importance of the sug-
gestion, from a few dollars to sixty or
seventy fer exclusive possession. The new
mode thus started may obtain little cur
rency. 81 it may become the craze of the
year.
Before the change Of the seasons the
anxious designers and artists are received
daily by the heads of the great business
houses their fashions are examined the
more striking are selected, and there you
have the first aSSembIage Of modes Mod
els of these models sent 90 London, 70
Germany. to America. OF some models
thous Ids Of copies are made-and the
fashion that was hatched i'll garnet is
Haunted by half the world
Practically all the designers are men,
Women adapt, modify, work overland
many French fashions need much expur-
gating-but almost never do women orig
mate anything of consequence in their own
apparel Why this is SO there is 10 expla-
nation; but when shimmeriug evening gown
or stately reception robe is lifted from the
importers box. often there arises the Won
der what thoughts filled the brain of the
unknown man in garret that to him came
such dreams of glowing color graceful
form.
Nam designer is proud of his work as
an artist with brush and palette, and
haunts the approaches to the opera house
TO the grand danes pass from their
carriages, much the painter stands be-
fore his picture on the walls of the salon.
Brocaded in Golden Hues.
One of the most beautiful evening gowns
exhibited this week suggests as it's origi-
nator some one of distinctly southern tenn
permanent. The fabric employed is a pecu-
liar quality of pale blue satin covered with
a golden sheen. The skirt, which is long
all around, forms a short train. 1t is bro
caded irregularly with golden yellow chry-
saLthemums. which diminish in number
and in size from the bottom. leaving the
upper part plain The low-cut bodice shows