The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-04-11
DECOYS OF FASHION.
METHODS OF THE FASHIONABLE
PARIS DRESSMAKERs
Dct.cs and Earnings of Manncquins
and 5aleswomen--The Master
Stroke-Millions in the Trade
With Big Profit.

Fashionable dressmaking means
business OF $30.000,00O a year in
Paris. The receipts of one house
mount up to about $1.200,00o, The
profits are about 20 per cent.
These figures are given by a
French publication which has ro-
Gently described the elaborate or
ganization of the great maisons de
modes and the lavish expenditures
with which they are conducted.
Rentals are paid ranging from S20.-
OOG a year. and the show and sales
rooms are luxuriously furnished.
The manager Of such an establish
rent must be at once an artist In his
line and an organizer of consummate
tact and vigor. He has not only q
large staff to manage, but O capri
cious one; and then there are the
cJ5tomers.
doubt, 1t is UP to him to give what
they call the master stroke. He will
burst into the room whore model
Is on exhibition.
But" he exclaims. you will
lengthen this waist for madame"
"Oh, l don't know about this
Dress" falters the customer
Have no fear, madame" says the
artist. IT am too proud of my art
to let you take 1t except as perfect
adaptation to your genre. your
style"
The customer Is thrilled and the
sale is made.
The sample costumes are all
known by fancy names. The artist
who makes the first sketch in wator
colors generally gives expression to
his ideas, In word: he will call II
| Carmen, the Victoria, the Alexandra.
the Huntress, the Vintage Dress
anything that occurs to him to con
vey and idea of the style.
The name is often an attraction
to the buyer and besides 1t has its
| business use. When collection
| Of silks and Innings and braids and
buttons is turned over to cutter
| with instructions to prepare u Car
men according to certain measure
ments, he knows exactly what IA
wanted.
There Is nothing easy about tho
| post of mannequin or model.
| Each one has twelve dresses made to
! fit her. In the busy season. or
whom called upon, she is expected TO
| Glow each three times day. She
| often has to do so. and these thirty
| six changes of costume, coupled with
| the standing and posing for an In
| spection, involve such expenditure
| of muscular effort that only strong
healthy girls can hold the places.
| Sometimes, when customers linger
over their choice and the girls arc
| kept in statuesque positions for an
| hour at time. they faint under the
| ordeal. When they do so, it Is very
| much against them. Nothing un-
pleasant should ever happen at
fashionable dressmaker'
For this trying work the models
receive from $50 to $50 a month, de
| pending on their attractiveness and
the standing of the house. The
saleswomen are much better paid.
| Their salaries run from SEQ to $240
a month and they generally get
commission Of from 3 to per cent
One case is quoted where n salcs-
woman in a great house made s15,-
| 600 a year. The saleswoman, how-
ever. takes the same risk as the
| house itself Her commission is no.
paid when the sale Is made, but
when the bill is paid, and 1t Is only
allowed when the price secured for
the dress exceeds a certain minimum
set upon each model.
Besides these a number of women
are employed in the salesrooms as
dressers. They get about $50 q
month.
Over and above the regular EN-.
| ployees many houses have on their
staff certain women of some social
! position but limited means. These
are called the lanceuses. They draw
no salaries, but get their dresses
free or at reduced rate as an adver-
tisement for the establishment,
whose praises they are expected to
sing when they get the chance.
| The winter models are shown in
| July and the summer ones in
| January These are the months Of
| greatest sales and 1t takes all the
| rest of the wear To deliyer tho ooods