The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-19
FASHION SHOW IN PARIS.
EXHIBITIONS FOR BUYERS IN
SEARCH OF NEW MODELS.

Amazing Professions of Handsome
Young women Who Display the
Latest styIes-PrecnutiOns to Pro-
tect Ideas-COst of the Gowns.
Trials of New York Dressmakers.
From the New York Sun.
New York dressmakers are beginning 10
turn their eyes toward their Mecca, and
within a month their semi-annual pilgrim
age will be in full swing. Twice a year
In February and in August every dress
maker of pretensfons goes to Paris or
| sends a representative in her place. If
| she herself makes the journey only once,
that once is in August. A summer ocean
voyage is more alluring than one in mid.
winter, and business and pleasure may be
more effectually combined in summer than
in winter.
Not a model will the Paris houses put
on exhibition before Aug. Is; but the tide
of dressmakers sets towards Europe a
month before that date, and a flying tour
of the continental watering places serves
as a prelude to serious business in Paris.
| Parties of New York dressmakers visit
Ostend Trouville. and the other resorts
where smart toilets are plentiful, and note
books are filled with sketches and details
of gowns seen at the casinos and on the
| promenades. Incidentally, the searchers
after fashions have a good time, and rest
1 nerves worn out by a seasons struggles
with patrons and assistants.
BY the middle of August all of these
| wanderers have hocked to Paris, and then
I
and weighty deliberations. Nine-tenths of
the models brought back to New York
/ come from the great houses. The prices
| paid are enormous, but those houses de-
| termine the modes. and one can safely fol-
low their lead. The same models are
! shown to all the buyers. Sometimes
| honey-tongued saleswonan assures the
| dressmaker that she is getting an exclu
| siVe design, but the customer knows that
is fiction pure and simple. The only way
in which she can obtain exclusive designs
! Is by right of discovery. If she can find
some little dressmaker unknown TO fame
but fairly bursting with latent originality
| and talent, she may triumphandy bring
| he ne models that no other New York
house can duplicate; but such finds are
rare and their joys are feeting. BY the
second season other buyers have discover
ed the rara avis whose prices soar and
| whose designs are no longer exclusive.
Then the discOverer goes back 10 the big
| houses, but keeps an eye out for other I'M
recognized articles.
The entree to a swell dressmaking estab-
lishmcut in Paris isn't TO be sought light
| ly or cherished carelessly; and many a
dressmaker, through some iudiscreton
finds herself shut out of paradise. If one
doesn't intend to buy one would better
not visit one of the noted houses The mod
els are guarded with the most jealous care
| and sales women exercise strategy to pre-
vent ideas from being stolen by persons
| who do not buy the gowns. Handsome
| young women, with fine figures. are en-
ployed to try on the gowns. Certain gowns
are fitted for certain of these young women
and 10 one else is ever allowed 10 wear
| them. OF course. this arrangement makes
! it possible for each model TO be displayed
to the best advantage. A prospective buyer
| enters an establishment and is met by a
courteous superintendent. who inquiries
| what sales woman she Is accustomed 10
meet. If the customer has visited the place
| before she mentions the name of the Gales
| woman who waited upon her If this is her
first offense, she says so, and a skilful and
| nsnuating female diplomatist is assigned
| to her. This attendant carefully takes her
| address, etc. Then, if the customer has
| called before, the saleswoman can hastily
look up her record. If the dlplomatist de-
| cides that the customer means business
| the best models are shown her. If she
| shows symptoms of merely looking for
ideas, she doesn't see much worth copying
After the buyer has examined what she
| wants, the saleswonan goes out and gives
| orders. Then she returns and makes herself
| entertaining for a few minutes. No pile of
gowns is brought in and hung over chairs
in American fashion, nor does a supercil-
lious young person slip skirt on over her
own gown and drape a forty-inch bust
| bodice over her thirty-two-inch figure. in
order to give an idea of the effect. No; they
do these things better in France. The wo-
men to whom the gowns, chosen for exit
| billion, have been fitted, don them caJeful-
| ", fasten every hook and loop, and tren
sail majesticaNy into the room, where the
buyer sits waiting. and file past her. II a
| gown takes her fancy the woman wearing
it is detained, but the others go out for a
| fresh installment Close examination OF de-
| tails isn't encouraged, for If the customer
doesn't buy it is better that she shouldn't
| see how effects are obtained. If she is wise
she does buy at least one frock merely in
order to keep the Goors open for the next
season. A fruitless visit may cost her the
| privileges of the house, and she cannot af-
ford that loss.
From 10 o'clock until noon a procession
| of superbly gowned and beautiful Young
rooms. From - until 2 O. clock the shop
is probably closed, and even millionaires
may knock in vain. Then the continuous
| performance is on again and lasts until
5. IL is really worth seeing. from an aes-
thetic as wei as a business standpoint.
| The gowns win seldom look so well on
the women who buy them as they do on
| the young women who exhibit them.
The models are not sold, but copies are
made for the New York dressmakers, and
each one buys what her Individual taste
and her knowledge of her customers sug-
sest. The representatives of the large
New York shops know that they must
bring home what win dazzle and attract
the general public, and they buy accord
| ingly Their imported gowns are usually
| striking and pronounced. The dressmaker
whose patronage Is largely among ac-
tresses and professional people, consid-
ers stage effects and tastes in her selec-
| tons. The house that caters to society