The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-03-30
Why There Should Be International Style College
to Set Sensible Fashions for the Whole World and
Save the Tens of Millions Of Dollars Which Are Now
Thrown Away Annually ON Absurd Freaks and Fads
By ]. GEORGE FREDERICK,
President Of the Business Bourse, and an
Authority or the Sclence Of Efficiency.


"A every year in America simply on
wcmen's and children's clothing.
very great portion of the country's mills,
offices, retail shops. dressmakers and
auxiliary manufacturers are needed to
take care OF this great volume of pur-
chases OK the country's chief articles Of
trade.
Considering the mysterious" and won.
derful' factor Of styles and fashions
which enters into this volume OF purchases
so strongly. what does cold .blooded analy.
SIS along efficiency lines show as the per.
ceutage of efficiency attained!
Frankly, there is nothing IN the whole
range of human activity on the entire facs
Of the globe that compares In terrible in
efficiency With the fashion and style s!tu-
alton In womens and chiidrer's clothes.
The efficiency is scarcely IS per cent out
Of possible 100 per cent. Beside this
waste, the million dollars day waste on
our railroads so complained OF by Bran
deis. looks tiny. Whole nations could be
built and financed by the waste which one
year produces in the field OF style and
fashion.
must add 10 this radical statement,
however, that We arc far more efficient
ia this respect than at any time in the
history Of tue last couple OF centuries:
but the volume Of waste is vastly sreater
today Simply because style and fashion
are given .arger place in the lives Of
far more men and women of all claSsea
than III the days Of long ago To-day
even the farmers and the small village
folk are stylish" II is actually true
that many things are worn in TIC West
before they become the rage" In New
York
Manufacturers make up hundreds upon
hundreds of patterns OF goods at great
expense, knowing we'll that only a bare
co2en of them will find favor and be sold
In any considerable quantity.
The dressiuakers and the manufactur-
ers say that women themselves decide
which styles will go; while the women
vow that the manufacturers and dress.
makers control the styles.
A. the beginning OF the season, when
manufacturers and makers should he busy
producing fabrics with some kind of dan.
mite knowledge Of what TO make. they are.
instead. Was'efuliy specializing IN great
uncertainty: while after the season ha,
developed all mills and makers are under
n terrific strain 10 catch up on orders for
the particular thing that "lnadc hit"
Because OF the frightful waste due to
fashion uncertainties and stimulation the
lowest possible grade Of goods Is fire..
Iuonly nut into garments. while il about
10 cents were added TO the cost Of the
goods in the piece the value OF tho gar
fnent 20 its wearer might be Increased at
least So
To one who. like an efficiency man.
stands on from n problem and looks at
lis contradictions and absurdities. the sit.
liatiou created by STYLE and fashion would
be most utterly laugha BILE IL il were not
such serious matter. reckoned in dollars
anC cents. He picks out the contradic-
ton, vast and. absurdities. and reports
them S6ineihfng as follows
..N ,57, 80. iciaogv nan work ont
that might Introduce q little order into
this very admittedly chaotic and horribly
Tasteful condition How can the new
gospel OF efficiency be made 10 apply TO
fashion and clothes7
Let MS make j, plain at 'he very start
that the efor nov being attempted nv
some to have American fashions for
american women Is an ill-consdered
and 2. very narrow m inded movement We
might as well c"y American books for
American readers" or American pis.
Mres for American eyes" We do no,
want American fashions" any more than
Chinese fashions we want INTELLIGENT
fashions AS y literature and in art and
in medicine and IN science, we want 10
take advantage OF the resources of the
whole world. Fashion. like science.
should know no nationality nor creed
81 should be cosmopolitan.
As this matter OF style and fashion da.
pends on Individual taste It would be
futile 10 approach the matter from q
purely scientific standpoint OF analysis
alone. u must first he based upon an
analysis of Just what the feeling Of mod.
ern woman is
Believing that a necessary starting
point for consideration OF this subject
must be definite word from women them.
selves as 10 the suggestions which cold
blooded analysis offers. have mad An &C.
tual canvass made Of women under the
following general groups
q Club and society women
90 Business women;
ca Shop girls;
A) average middle class housewives
Knowing the conservative attitude OF
mind Of women, and their great love for
individuality, personal ad0rnment and
beauty, was entirely prepared 10 hnd 4
very light reception 20 the ideas OF eff.
cient reform which | had laid out In thu
following questions:
a. Would YOU welcome an organized
attempt by women 10 discourage fashion
extremes?
% How often do yor believe the fash.
ion trends should reasonably Sc changed
twice year, once a year. or every two.
three or four years?
ca Do You approve OF any sttempt "a
encourage uniformity OF dress among
various types OF women?
a. Do you think individuality and con.
slant variety IN dress are some things ,ha
cannot be given up by wornspf
(6) Would you be inclined 10 follow (.
movement by women themselves &c con.