South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-07
FRENCH DESIGNER
VISITING CHICAGO
PSuI Poiret Whose Designs Are
Always Fashions Sensations,
is Observing Styles in the
Metropolis.

NJ. Paul Poiret, the famous French
costumer, who, through a series Of ar
tistic shocks. has transformed the
skirt into a garment of simplicity and
beauty, is making his first visit 10 Chi
cago TO see how Chicago women wear
his creations.
State st. merchants entertained
him at a luncheon at the Blackstone
hotel Yesterday, when he lectured on
Art and Dress"
The hobble skirt was the first thrill
NJ. Poiret gave TO the fashionable
world The harem skirt caused still
stronger vibrations. Then came the
slit skirt, which caused thousands OF
gasps, and nod enters the laest in
spiration-the minaret skirt, the most
alluring of all.
Morals Don't Interest Him.
Are they not limmoral?" M. Poiret
was asked by several fashionable, but
fearful, enthusiasts.
Immoral ?" echoed NJ. Poiret in a
wondering tone. Il am not interested
In morals when I am designing by
costumes. An artist concerns himself
only with art. All the work turned
out by the great Partisan establish
ments is judged on purley artistic mer
its. II q dress is beautiful, II is good,
If IL is ugly, II Is bad.
Simplicity and suitability-that is
art in dress. French women have
fewer natural advantages than the
women of any other nation, but they
are always attractive because they
nokw what to wear and when to wear
II.
I'VE breathe style in the very air of
Paris. 1 do not make the fashions
1 am made by them. And what is a
new style but a new variation of beau
ty? And as go on my way l seem to
feel In the atmosphere what the new
variation of beauty will be.
Madame is Three Years Ahead.
My designs are first worn by my
wife, and she always adopts a mode |
two or three years before IL is gen
orally worn"
American styles for American wom-
en- was suggested to the visitor as a |
slogan which showed the |
trend of thought Of the loyal Ameri- |
can women.
Never" exclaimed NJ. Poiret. THE |
well dressed American woman will |
always have to go to Paris for her
designs. You talk about your Amer
lean designs, their independence and
What are they but re-
pleas or reproductions of French de-
signsc? II there ever be an American
style for American women it will or
iginate in Paris.
The French dressmaker has that
subtle, mysterious something that
makes a gown a work of art. 1t is
born in him. Costuming is the great
industry of France. 1t can
not be transplanted. What great ma
tional industry can?
Render Unto Caesar
America has It's cocktails-there
are none like them the world over.
Italy has its spaghetti, London its
mutton chops and Paris its fashions.
And II is men who make those
fashions. In this country a man who
interests himself in women's clothes
Is considered unmanly and effeminate.
But never in France. And why should
II be anywhere? Is not the art of
dress one of the greatest of the arts?
What is cold stone or canvas to grace
full, plastic, living creatures? What
art could be greater than one that
draws forth the hidden beauty Of
woman the world calls plain, or &C
centuates the beauty of a woman
already beautiful"
Those who have entered the estab-
lishment of NJ. Poiret apparently re-
alize the truth of the statement for
they go to the French costumer as
they would TO an artist TO have their
portraits painted.
And one warning NJ. Poiret gives
TO every woman:
Wear the things that belong TO
you-the things that do not make you
feel like a stranger to yourself"
Columns have been written about |
Nine. Poiret's gowns, one Of which is
described as shapeless as slip, yet |
falling in lines of perfect grace as its
wearer sat- stood or walked. The |
robe is of cream colored brocaded |
silk, gathered around the bottom |
and extending several inches on the |
floor. Kimono sleeves reach the ell |
bow and the neck Is cut in a low oval. |
An Oriental turban forms the head |
dress. With this costume Nine. wore |
a huge pearl suspended on a green |
cord around her neck.
Stories of boots that are to be worn |