The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-06
RARE WARES THAT NONE But MIL
LIoNAIRE SHOPPERS EVER SEE.
Luxurious Private Rooms. and Special
in Many of the Great stores.


me ana tnere is a Supernne.
For the superfne shopper life rolls on
pneumatic tires. 1t was probably from her
experience that the fallacy that women
adore shopping was evolved. She doesn't
stand in the fourth row of the clamoring
customers and stretch appealing hands in
vain toward naughty saleswomen and SUI
perior statesmen. She doesn't buy monstrosi-
ties of which she has no need, just because
she hasn't the nerve 10 bear the sales
mans polite scorn. She doesn't wait pa
tlently for attention and receive 1t with
humble gratitude. No. indeed: there are
other conditions for such as she.
There is a sanctum sanctorun to which
she Is shown by an obsequious salesman. A
person of Importance is called to wait upon
her. she sits i'm a comfortable chair, and
the things she wants 10 see are brought to
her. There is no trouble too great in doing
her honor. She is deferred TO, battered.
smoothed the right way until. If women
were the eats some cynics think them, she
would certainly purr. And if she doesn't
buy-not a hint of frost creeps into the
tropical effusion, for tomorrow is another
day. and when this customer does buy the
profit is usually enough to cover consider
able waste time and energy.
Almost every swell dry goods shop in the
city has private rooms for the accommoda-
ton of such customers, and there gowns,
and wraps, and lingerie. etc., that never
meet the eye of the ordinary shopper are
shown. 1t would not pay to handle these
special creations unless the chances of a
sale were good; so they do not come out
or their wrappings save at the demand of
a woman who can and does buy regardless
OF cost. Some of the popular shops have
suites of special showrooms, fitted up in
most luxurious fashion and in charge of
aleSwomen chosen for their personal at
tractiveness and charm of manner. In
many cases a French woman is high priest
work.
1t is only tact that one needs in a place
ike this said such an employe 10 a Sun
reporter. And taste? Oh, yes. Of course.
One must be able to judge what the Gus
TONER would like; but. as a rule. the women
who buy these horribly expensive things
have pretty definite ideas of their own
dence IN their own judgment. They don't
want advice. The girls downstairs may
talk women into buying what they don't
here.
ESSENTIAL POINTS.
"Oficiousness isn't my cue. / must be
able to show what will suit, if we have it,
and show it in a way to make its good
points apparent. 1 may need to suggest
alterations, and, If the customer wants to
talk to me. of course, 1 must follow her
lead. There are hundreds Of little ways
of putting her in a good humor without
being fulsome or transparent. Oh. it's a
great art, and 1 guess one learns as much
about human nature here as one would be-
hind a bargain counter on Fourteenth
street. Sometimes even the very wealthy
women will squirm at the price and haggle
a little, but the women who come in here
are those who will buy if they are pleased,
even though it does hurt them to part with
the money. Some of my customers don't
seem ever TO consider the money. That's
a matter of supreme Indifference. They'd
just as soon pay 5000 for an opera cloak
as pay 800, If the cloak suits them. Often
they do not even ask the price. Last Mon
day a woman came in here and selected
5000 worth of summer gowns. She didn't
ask about the cost OF a single one of them
just ordered the goods charged and de-
livered."
A fashionable ~essmak told the re-
porter much the same story. When 1 am
in Paris / always buy a number OF gowns
and materials that are not for my general
trade" she said. Sometimes l have a par
make the purchase. More often l am cater
ing 10 a small set Of customers who do not
stop at expense, and will have beauty and
novelty.
ut is TO my interest to have what they
want, when they come TO me, so ! keep this
reserve stock for such emergencies and
do not show ii to my other customers. even
though one of them might, for once in a
way, strain a point and buy one of the
gowns. she WOulQn buy Such q thing
more than once in a blue moon. The other
women will buy the costly things right
along, If | can only manage to have what
they want. They wouldn't look at the
models ! nave TO show the crowd-wouldn't
consider them. So l bring them into this
little private room and get out my exclu-
sive models and fabrics and laces and
trimmings. and many Of them buy what
ever strikes their fancy without even in
quiring what will charge for it. A good
many of them ask the price. more as a
matter Of principle than anything else, L
think. for they never make any comment
on the figure | mention. provided the
gowns are what they want. Others fuss
about the price, but pay it rather than do
without the thing they want"
THE PRIVATE SHOW ROOM.
The private show room is an inevitable
feature of the swell jewelry shop. There
gem experts wait upon customers who can
appreciate rare jewels. or can be relied
upon TO buy them. whether they appreciate
them or not. Jewels never trusted in show
cases or in the care of an ordinary sales
man are brought out, stones are matched.
| designs are sketched. a kings ransom in
precious stones is often spread out for
choice, and wonderful single stones. be-
yond the reach of anyone not rolling in
wealth. are taken out of the safe and dis
played. In certain famous shops a ladies
dressing room is provided. with a maid in
attendance. and there a woman tries on
her necklace or her tiara by gaslight or
electric light, so that she may judge of the
exact effect upon her appearance that the
jewels viii have-a thing impossible in
daylight and over a high-necked street
bodice.
In some cases, Of course, the Jewels are
sent 20 the customers home and tried on
there. but the responsibility of handling
jewels is heavy, ard, usually. the firm IS
reluctant to allow them to travel far from
the safe. Strangers are seldom shown TO
the private room. or. il so, are under close
surveillance. and many amusing stories are
told by the jewellers of customers whose
appearance aid not Indicate wealth and
VINO finally, after being objects Of black
suspicion, made phenomenal purchases.
The woman who tries on hat after hat in
a Fifth-avenue shop without finding what
suits her is likely 10 see the hat of her
heart sail by her in the hands OF madame,
the owner OF the shop. and disappear be-
hind closed doors. She wants the hat. The
imposing saleswoman is very sorry. but
that hat is sold. Make one like II p" "Oh.
no, madame: we do not duplicate our
hats" And behind the door at which the
woman looks longingly a favored shopper
is fitting before a mirror, while madame
herself shows of the beauties OF the dream
hat.
"But no. madame; there is no other like
II. 1t is OF the exclusive stock. Ii has been
shown ~once-twice. perhaps-but no more.
Nine. r would have II when she comes. Ii
Mais oui. chic; tres chici Nine. R will
find something else. Sixty dollars, madame;
il shall be sent at once
And the ordinary shopper might have
gone TO that shop a hundred times and
never have seen that dream hat that was