The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-10
DUNCAN ASKED
TO DESIGN GOWNS
Brother OF Famous Dancer
Gradually Becoming d
Fad in Paris.
URGES SENSIBLE GARMENTS
Arrayed Like Shepherd From
Hills, He Shocks French
People.
by WILLIAM PHILIP s,Mms.

Especial Cable to The Times Dispatchl
Paris. March e.--Raymond Duncan.
brother OF the famous dancer, Miss
lsadora Duncan, iB gradually becoming
a fad I'm Paris. and dressmakcrs in the
Rue dc la Paix. recognizing his vogue.
have applied to him 10 design models
for spring gowns.
Although an American, Duncan docs
not look the part. Daily he stroIls
about town. arrayed like shepherd
fresh from tho Grecian hills Drained
over MS shoulder. mantle of flannel
like material, which he wcaves him
self. falls In graceful folds about his
body. caught in at the waist by IL
Eirdle. SANDALS instead OF booty pre-
tect his feet from The pebbles He goes
bareneaned. his long. biuck hair being
caught up in tho back and held I'm
p"si.ion ~ a blue cotton thread whicn
circus mis- brow.
Recently tenants in tho apartment
huiiuihg where duncan ana nIs wife
nNed objected buenuuuaiy 10 the
American Greek shepherd costumes
that ne mad 10 answcr tneir coiuuialnts
In court He got other quarters, how
ting an emu 70 the row. Gay and giudy
fhIisiana being shocked by an AIneri-
can ~ss something TO brag about,
though duncan LOOK Il oil quito moo
estly.
At present the Duncans live in tho
Latin quarter. There they have q lit
Ito theatre hs part OF their apart
ment. and the art of BiIupie ;lnu right
living is being taught They have
plenty OF pupiis who uress ike them
ano 20 barefooted as long us they are
taking LESSONS. but few or thc1n have
the huraihood to wander about in the
streets SO thiniy clad. In addition to
heading the now fnth and inbtructins
pupiis. Duncan and his " lie ana SISTER
ih-laW-the two latter full-blooued
Greek Eiris-;irc now giving Is aerics
on performances at the ChaIclct Thea
ire Elektra," In tho original Greek
form. being the main attraction Mrs
Penelope Duncan iB very pretty wo-
man. and is Il sensation In her becom-
Ing Creek costume Her poses are the
talk OF the town
1 called on the American al his IAtin
Quarter theatre and found him sitting
at IL strange sort of loom. Il loom such
as Is uscd In Greece by the simple
folks OF the hills Duncan brought his
loom from Greece. in which country
lie har spent more than q dozen years
He WAS weaving the soft material for
the costumes which he ind his family
and pupils wear.
"Ycs." he said, two of the leading
dressrnakers In Paris have asked me
I" design costumes for the spring. why
did they ask mey / don't know, I'm
sure. / can only suriniae. take IL
that their proposals were simply with
an eye 10 business.
Il was here tweive years ago and
81 TlYnn ai.,,, kn,,
sensible garments for women. The
styles you sec to-day. in 60 FAR na they
approach the Greek, are tho result of
my work then. At that time tho small
waist was all the go. The smaller il
vac the better. Corsets arc now made
on much more sensible lines, though
10 corset Al all is. OF course, far bot
tel still. However. during the past
twelve years the trend has been toward
tho Greek, with natural waists and, in
many instances, fashionable women
have left or wearing corsets altoEeth-
er.
Il came here to atart revolution in
styles, and Euess l have started one"
Tie American designer OF Paris
styles was asked il his new modes for
spring would be modelcd after the
Greek
Yes and no." he replied They may
resemble the Greek to large extent.
but they VIII not really be Greek.
They will simply he sensible costumes.
thoroughly modern. by sensible | mean
costumes which will permit tho body
To 70 through all its movements in q
natural manner. Arms. legs, body will
be given free play. Nowadays women
do not walk; they waddlc; they inch
along. Both their skirts and shoes arc
to blame. Look at that pupil there"
Duncan pointed out a young girs
who. draped after the true Geek fash.
ion. copy OF the arrangement worn by
Mrs Penelope Duncan. was walking
across the hoor, bnrefooted.
You see" continued Duncan. that
girl is walking naturally Tight shoea
and high heels have been done away
with. However, when she puts on her
shoes her walk will nc entirely DIFF
fcrent from what il Is now. All her
movements are graceful because she is
have persuaded Pa.isicanes to don
sensible garments. grace will he real
and not STUDIED.
The new dresses ain designing Will
bt much more beautiful than those
Worn to-day. though simpler In Design.
Thor VIII be FAR richer In color and
material, ana viii allow air circulation
and sanitary ventilation"
The Americans eccsntricitics seem-
Cd TO have shocked tho Parislana who
occupied the same apartment building
with him. That was going some. But
II the same American succeeds in set
tins STYLES for fashionable Paris
t.nnoa
sam hc has already won big vic
tory: he Inns got the Rue dc la Pnix
a.drrssmnkers dogging him for de-
sl;:aa, IL their clients accept the de-
sii.aa, tn3hionahlo promenades in Paris.
tho rsroa ut t.nnE Champs, etc. Will be
,onc lovely thing after another. this
spring,