The San Francisco call., 1906-06-10

SPECIAL CABLE To THE CALL
LONDON, June 9.-Recently. while
on a trip to the Continent. King Ed
ward discovered a mechanical con-
trivance which he recognized at once
as the thing that he had been wanting
for many a long day. This was nothing
more or less than what might be de-
scribed as a "trying-on machine" in
vented to save people who could afford
one the customary bother of having
clothes fitted on their own figures. and
to King Edward. who has more clothes
made in the course of year than any
other man on earth. it came as the
biggest kind of boon. and repre-
sented the saving of literally in
Vulnerable hours of his time.
BY the aid of a key this multi
FORM" as it is called. can be made to
| reproduce the exact shape of any given
human trunk. If it be required to
represent a hunch- backed man hump
can be developed on it at once. If
the original be round -shouldered or
pigeon chested, the machine becomes
round shouldered or pigeon-chested.
too, at the invitation of the key. In
fact, all the little pecuIiarities which
differentiate one body from another
can be reproduced on the "multiform-"
1t is hard even for a monarch to
maintain his dignity in the hands of
a tailor who is giving him a trial
fitting. especially one who is as sensi-
tive about his figure as King Edward.
and so it is easy to see why his
Majesty hailed his discovery of this
contrivance with rather uncommon
satisfaction.
The blessed multiform now saves
his dignity. time and patience. He has
no longer to subject himself to the
ordeal of having garments tried on
before they are finished In his
tailor's fitting room is an exact coun-
terpart of the most important portion
from a sartorial standpofnt-of his
Majesty's anatomy. and on this the
royal clothes are tried before being
sent to the palace A number of these
machines have also been ordered for
the royal wardrobe. so that the coats
in greatest demand may be stretched
upon them and kept free from that
greatest blemish in his Majesty's eyes.
wrinkles
STILL SETS THE FASHION.
Apropos. a question might be raised
as to whether King Edward still sets
the styles for men of fashion the world
over as he did for so many years as
Prince of Wales, and it is rather in
teresting to be able TO answer this
query with a decided affirmative
Whenever his Majesty goes on the
Continent" said one of the LEADING
writer yesterday. "he is followed about
almost daily by representatives of the
chief European taiIors. who make
careful notes of his various costumes
and even take photographs of some of
them. and on the results of these OBJ
servations the Continental fashions for
men are largely based.
And so far as the Kings influence
upon American fashions is concerned,
/ was told by a prominent West End
| tailor who has over 1900 regular GUS
toners in the United States that prac-
tically all of them make a point of
inQuiring, before placing their orders
what materials are in favor with Ed
ward VII at that time and that they
generally adopt any new wrinkles in
the way of dress which his Majesty
recently may have introduced
For example" said this merchant.
/ Il have made hardly one double
breasted business suit for an American
customer since the King frowned upon
/ this particular style of masculine
! dress, some time ago, and the only
! instance that / can recollect in which
! his Majesty's lead in the matter of
/ dress has not been followed on both
sides of the Atlantic is in the case of
/ the single breasted frock coat. which
even the Kings example has not been
| able TO popularize. 1t is, by the
way limited that his Majesty's dislike
/ for double breasted coats and waist
i coats arises solely from a conviction
/ on his part that they emphasize the
/ prominence of his waist.
However, it must be conceded that
/ so far as experience goes there is no
/ man who is better qualified than King
Edward for the task of supreme arbi-
! ter. in matters concerning masculine
dress He has worn more suits of
| clothes. and in greater variety of
styles. than any other man in England.
With the exception of his strenuous
nephew. the German Emperor no man
has such an extensive wardrobe.
A witty Frenchman once described
4 life as "all botting and unbotting."
4 The valet responsible for the exam
ination of the royal buttons, to see
/ that they never miss connections with
the royal buttonholes, has one Of the
severest and most exacting jobs in the
4 Kings household.
TAILoRs SHARE HIS TRADE.
1t has often been said that if a social
/ upheaval should occur which would
compel even monarchs to earn their
own livelihood. King Edward would
have no difficulty in making both ends
meet as a farmer 1t is equally true
J that he would make an excellent man
/ ager of first-class mems furnishing
store. Though ordinarily no great
1 stickler for punctiliousness. in matters
of dress he is fastidiousness persona
fed The tailor who sent a badly fit-
ting garment home to King Edward