Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-15
SOCIETY SPIES AND ToUTs.
How They Steal Exclusive Models
and Boom Business.


From the Grand Magazine.
About a year ago a man who proved to
be the agent of an English firm was arrest
ed in Paris charged with bribing an accom-
phce to- steal some millinery models just
invented by famous French modiste.
Such patterns represent an expenditure
of thought, labor and hard cash of which
the ordinary man has no conception. Skilled
artists have to be employed and paid very
high salaries. The models. whether Of
dresses or hats, are prepared long before
they are required, and are guarded as jeal-
ously as a government guards the secret
plans of its forts and submarines.
The outsider might imagine that the
easiest method of piracy would be to watch
the windows of smart milliners and to
sketch the new designs there shown. This
practice, common enough at one time,
has now fallen completely into desuetude.
The object Of the modern millinery pirate
is by some means to get hold of the new
fashions well in advance of the coming
season.
Last spring the proprietor of one of the
smartest shops in the west end of London
noticed lady walking in the park attired
in a dress almost an exact copy of brand
new model of his own, a model which not
half dozen people had seen besides it's
inventor and himself The design had been
registered but the copy was just sufficient
ly altered to steer clear of legal difficulties.
A serching inquiry revealed the fact that
the culprit was a lady who had always
been considered one of the firms smarteSt
and best customers. Her birth and position
were less Improbable than the state of her
finances, and she had accepted the offer Of
a Berlin firm to dress her on condition that
she supplied them with the very latest crea-
tons that found their way from Paris to
London.
Having the entree to the innermost sane
tum of the London firm referred to, she had
taken advantage of their confidence in her
to draw their designs from memory and
post them to Berlin. The London firm
had no legal remedy whatever. All they
could do was, when the autumn styles were
due and the lady called again, to inform
her courteously that her patronage was no
longer desired.
Another lady. detected in similar trick
by the manager of Regent street firm.
was very cleverly punished Upon her next
visit she was received with the same cor
diality as ever and taken into the show
room, where the latest models were usually
displayed
She never suspected, until too late. that
the room had been specially arranged for
her reception. The models exhibited were
anything but new, and the too smart firm
which employed her was put to vast ex-
pense to work up dresses from patterns
resurrected from those of years before
which consequently proved absolutely un-
salable.
The range Of business open to we'll
born men and women is. indeed, a very
large one, the ladies performing wonders
in pushing the sale of new soaps, scents
or hair washes. For some women the motor
car craze has procured small fortunes
The manufacturers have not only In many
cases taught pretty women to drive cars,
but in some cases have found it worth their
while to make such women a present of an
expensive machine. This works in two
ways. Not merely does the lady point out
the beauties of the car to her friends and
acquaintances but her photograph, car and
all. usually finds it's way into one of the
illustrated papers, and as the name of the
maker of the car is given, the picture forms
an unequaled advertisement