Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-08
PARIS FASHIONS.

Special Correspondence of The Star.
PARIS. March "a, 1905.
A CERTAIN part of the musical
~ world here at the gay capital has
- been aroused to enthusiasm by the
4 %, visit of Siegfried Wagner. I saw
him the other night at the Opera
Confque His interesting curiosly old
fashioned face was alive with appreciation
of Nine Nuovina's Interpretation of Char
lotte in 'Werther." but his heavy-lidded
eyes were half closed, as though the adora-
ton of his surrounding disciples had
proved fatiguing. I should like to ask
question in regard to the feminine portion
Of the Wagner type of deyotees-why is
the ordinary female Wagnerite so often
anxious eyed, dogmatic and addicted to
toilets OF the negligee order? The great
master himself was decidedly foppish in
appearance, and adored purple and fine
linen I well know that questions which
cannot reasonably expect answers are stu
Did in the extreme. but 1t Is funny to note
the difference that exists in the matter OF
type between musical people. For in
stance when Moszkowski was here last
week he was always the central figure
Of a group of exquisitely gowned women
as chic as possible and brilliantly gaudy
as butterflies on a midsummer day. or
course. Moszkowsk is not Wagner, but
then. Some of the frocks seen in the
foyer Of the Opera Comique were lovely.
A stunning costume was a princess affair
of silver MORE strewn with single poppies
in delicate shades Of pink and yellow. There
was little trimming on the bodice-merely
cieverly arranged folded length of rose
velvet. The hem of the skirt was elaborate
Iy adorned with Irlande of distinctly
putty shade. Edging the outline were
narrow ruches In scrolled designs of ma
lnna Ind 10 a fha
deep frills of pink chiffon. A curious note
was a fight of jetted dragon flies ar
ranged across the front of the robe from
waist to hem.
form or other. trims almost every garment
In the wardrobe Of the smart woman, eff
forts In influential quarters are being made
to revive the French lace industry The
city of Paris has taken the matter in hand.
The decline of this work was due to the
small wages paid to skilled makers. Now
a committee L. hard at work to give the
manufacturers all the assistance 1t can. The
French lace industry has certainly had
checkered career. In the beginning of the
fifteenth century Velay was the center for
| lace making and remained so until 1910
when the Toulouse parliament issued
grotesque ukase threatening with imprison-
ment or a heavy fine any one wearing this
lovely fabric. In 1885 another trouble be-
| fell the Velay makers This work. you
| know, was chiefly In the hands of the
ProteStants, and when Louis XIV revoked
| the edict of Nantes the lace mandatory
| received a severe blow, from which ii never
| fully recovered. The present movement
will be watched with interest by the world
of fashion.
French and German Valencennes. flIet
net, Irish crochet and baby Irish. together
with Cluny, princess and Infinite va
riety. including Spanish lace, both en-
broidered and plain, are all favorites OF La
Mode. The description of the new en-
| broideries alone would fill an entire letter,