The Irish standard., 1906-05-12

!
one Of tn" oldest and foremost OF New
York's private drcSslnakcrs. occurred
recently persons we'll acquainted with
the history Of drcssmaking in this city
took occasion to point out the fact that
in making. copying and selling high
! grade costumes Irish women had for
| many years outnumbercd and led the
specialists Of all other nationalities.
| The French woman. said they, domi-
I mates the uressmalting industry of Eu-
rope bu, no, OF this country. says the
| New York sun.
In New York it is the Irish woman
VIII" is in tho lead French drcsslnakcrs
of prominence are comparatively few
IN this city. Irish women, on the other
hand. huv" owned and now own private
establishments. They head the custom,
order departments Of the leading dry
! goods houses and they are sent across
! 1" buy European dress models for tho
| New York market. 1t is the Kcllys' the
!
E2,gans and the Donuvans who turn
out the most artistic gowns sold on
this side oi the ocean.
! a New York woman noted for her
costly gowns was advancing this Opin-
ion I" some friends soon after hearing
of the death of Nine. Donovan. She
| 1l.ltt ..I11 1n<t I'm N0n1
establishment Of Mime. Donovan to try
on gowns and was met at the door
with the news Of the death Of the
head of the house.
I Il feel as II l had lost a valued
friend" she afterward said. "Since
making my debut IN society have
been going to her for my gowns. I
bought far more from her than did
in Europe, for the reason thJt her
/ importations We're quite aus beautiful
AS anything | could select for myself
In Paris and her adaptions or imported
models to New York standards gem
orally resulted in something even more
!
SHE had refined taste and wonder
full creative ability Joined to an un-
crring perception OF tho style most
suited to individual customers. Never
thcesS her appearance was far from
suggesting that she was the first New
/ York private drcSsm:lker to win res
a.. -
she had i. clientele which included not
only the wcalthicst but also the best
known women in New York.
Mime Donovan was small. Will,
markedly Irish features and Il slight
broguc in spite OF her fifty or more
years oc residence in New York. She
vas retiring in manner and DRESSED
plainly. She came to this country as !;
adys maid.
"Soon after she began going out
sewing in families by tn" day and
later got Il job in the drcssmaking
department of A. T. Stewards big store
where her talent became so noticeable
that when she decided to start in bus-
ness for herself her following included
some Of the most influential women in
New York.
Before long she occupied first place
among New Yorls private dress
makers and even of late years. when
competing with larger. more Ghowy
concerns her styles and workmanship
still attracted the most fashionable.
/ Ever since can remember her lead
ing saleswomcn and filters have beer
Irish women, many of whom have
grown gray in the service: and the
business will be carried on by an Irish
woman whose three head assistants arc
Irish.
/ Nine. Donovan's establishment is
not an exceptional one by any means
could name many others, Including
leading department stores. which make
n feature Of womens made to order
gowns in which the head filters. the
European buyers Of womcn's costumes
and the women who take orders are
Irish or Irish American"
ut is difficult to guage the effect
which immigration has had and is hav-
ing on the American woman's cos
tunes" commented the manage. of /,
custom order department in Broad