Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-28
LEATHER IN DRESS.
Important Element in London Fashions
of the Coming Season.


of the Coming Season.
From the London Telegraph.
In the very interesting and instructive
shoe and leather fair now occupying the
Royal Agricultural Hall observant visitors
have noticed the prominent position as
signed by few of the exhibitors of the
highest grades of skins to feathers in the
most beautiful colors Are such, 1t was
asked on many hands, indicative of gayer
taste in footwear, or will luxurious book
binding, fancy bags or upholstery claim
them for their most artistic embodiments?
The real reason of their presence, however,
is that the finer kinds of leather are likely
ere long to play very important part In
fashionable Dress and that il is well to
show that our leading English houses are
prepared to meet 1t. For the last TWO or
three years these exhibitions have been
increasingly visited by the more exclusive
ladies' tailors and modistes from the West
End with a view to noting how and where
they might obtain leather suitable for use
in shooting or sporting costumes of any
kind. as in Innings or facings, and the
present season has witnessed marked in
crease in their demands Far more signif-
cant, however. that such requirements are
not the passing fad of the few is that the
great wholesale manufacturing houses,
which turn out the charming costumes at
prices within the range of the ordinary
buyer at our leading shops, are ordering
Hest spring demands. Indeed a Taberna-
Gle street house of commanding trade in
f1uence has found it necessary to prepare
"color cards." similar to those used by
the manufacturers of costly velvets and
silks, to show the variety and range of
lovely shades that are available for dress
requirements.
To understand how 1t has come about that
leather should now be making such eff
fective appeal with regard to dress trim
ming. the explanation of leading expert
threw full light upon the subject. The
dominant leather for boots and shoes full
filing the present demands for lightness,
fiexibility and ease in wear is real kid
skin taken from the young goat, and so ex-
tensively is it employed that calf-kid is not
used in anything like the proportion that it
formerly was. Such request for kid as
there is at this moment has never been
known before and the remotest villages OF
Europe, India, South America and wher-
ever goats are kept are visited by itinerant
collectors to obtain them. The skins are
sun-dried. made up into bales. shipped to
America or this country, where consid-
cradle proportion finds it's way to Ber-
mondsey and goes through the usual pro-
cesses of being soaked, put into lime for
unhairing, and finally tanned. Kid as 1t
was found when submitted to chrome treat
ment for waterproofing or for glazing, gave
such satisfactory results that further ex-
periments in coloring and dyeing were in
stituted, and it is in these last stages that
such remarkable advances have been made
the first intimation Of the fact that the
ordinary retail buyer perceived was in the
pretty waist belts, which assumed such
graceful folds when In wear, and were
introduced about this time last year, fig
uring largely among the attractive novel;
ties for Christmas presents.
A special surface known technically as
matt finish" is given to the kid, which is
finding chief favor with the dressmakers.
1t is not so smooth or bright as that of or
binary glace kid, and may be said to resem-
BILE dull satin, with a peachlike bloom
upon 1t. The colors include some of the
softest pastel shades, as well as the strong
err and brighter tones, and the reds, mauves
and champagnes are particularly good.
From the wholesale manufacturers, as well
as from the ladies' tailOrs, the shades most
called for are a subdued myrtle green, navy
blue, prune, golden, chocolate and hazel
browns and silver gray, which Is shown In
some very delicate gradations. while white
is greatly favored. 1t is used for vests with
very smart gowns, and appears on coats
and skirts in revers, Wristbands, strappings,
pipings and buttons. For motor wear whole
blouses are made Of it, and it Is not
difficult to imagine how dressy one might
look in some of the pale blues, heliotropes,
or ivory white that are to be found. In the
darker shades very workmanlike skirts are
turned out and underskirts have been made
in it for ladies who are anticipating shoot
ing over rough country. 1t is even appear
ing upon millinery, and felt hats for coun-
try or morning wear are being trimmed
with folded bands of it fastened by quilts
or wings. Possibly here the soft, velvet-like
suede finish may ultimately win chief ac-
ceptance, though this from the system of
preparation, is not so desirable where hard
wear is concerned. though in colors it rivals
those Of more FURNISHED face. But there
would seem to be no limits to its possible
| uses as an accessory of dress, as 1t is point
ed out that motifs and appliques of quite
original effects could easily be obtained
from it, while it lends itself well as the
ground for silk embroidery and jeweled
work. 1t is evident that the leather mer-
chants have firm belief in 1t a COM
ing feature in fashion. which is manifested
| at Islngton by the attention bestowed upon
1t in tasteful and attractive displays and
the wide range of colors which they are
prepared to supply.