Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-09
WOMBN'S WEAR.
H. The Buyer in New
York.

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The buyer IL q person Of the utmost Inn
portance In the realm of women's wear
He Is, in one sense, delegate from the
people OF his town sent to the great CEN
trail market. not only to purchase wearing
apparel as such, but also to spy out the
land of fashions; to bring back to his
own small city the metropolitan interpre-
tatfon OF the latest edicts of the fashion
despots OF Paris. The women in his
town trust him implicitly. They will de-
pend on him, when he returns, to tell
them what is what in fabric and design.
They will select their gowns. their hats,
their boots. even their handkerchiefs. as
much because he will bring them news
OF new styles as because he will offer
them only these things in his store.
lie is, to be sure, limited by competi-
tion. There are other stores and shops
N MS town, and other buyers who go to
New York. Either he must agree with
his rival cOtemporary, or, if there Is
enlargement, he must either have better
taste or more persuasive powers to justi-
~ his opinion.
In another sense the buyer is the arbi-
Ter OF the fate OF the individual manu-
facturer. The manufacturer Of women's
garments spends money like water on
Paris models, pays the best designer he
can obtain sometimes fabulous salary.
does everything possible to produce the
most beautiful and modish effects within
certain cost limits, throws around his
saiesroom every possible lure and attrac-
ton. and then submits his whole fate to
the final Judgment Of the buyer No mat
ter II all the artists and artisans in New
York praise model gown, 1t remains an
absolute failure II the buyer be not
pleased.
This is not mere generalization For in
stance for the fall season of 1912 GER
tain cost tn m e
C0SCume Maker maker enjoyed
Cited a. Example. p ~0.usfi Hs b p,1, =
designer able to turn out at popular prices
dresses that unauestionably were in the
mode, that undoubtedly were of high util-
itarian value, and that consequently, sold
at sight. The buyers crowded his show
room. and his business was limited only
by the physical facilities of his plant.
This fall. a year later. with the same
designer and the same plant, his show
room is all but deserted. He, on his
part, failed to foresee the vogue Of vel
vets. pushes and other pile fabrics, and
his d designer, 3 genius in some lines was
|
jury of buyers condemned his samples
and he and his designer consoled them
selves by quarreling with each other.
III the manufacturer Is at the mercy Of
the Judgment OF his designer and stands
or falls by the final verdict Of the buyer,
1t Is no less true that the prosperity Of
the retail store Is buiided on the taste,
the skill and the business judgment of
is good style. AMI yet he must under
stand also the psychology of the Gus
toners OF his own store. as well as of all
the people of his home town. Not in
In New York on the condition that the
skirt be made differently, because that
won't go In Shreveport" In this ukase
OF the buyer lies the explanation of the
of cities in different sections Of the coun-
try.
The buyer who buys too much the
buyer who buys too little; the buyer who
buys a line
Glasses of Buyers too high-pric-
Who Bring Disaster. ea' the su buyer =
line Of too little variety; all of these are
certain to bring disaster to the store at
home. and are equally certain to be Sue
ceeded by new buyers the next season.
For, after all. the will Of the retail
customer is law. That will may be af-
fected by the skill and persuasive power
Of the buyer and his agents-the sales
men in the store-but 1t cannot be dis
regarded.
1t is manifest, therefore, that buyer
should confine himself as far as possible
to a very small number Of articles. For
the general store in the small town he
must buy everything-suits. gowns, petit
coats. underwear, notions-in short.
everything that will be displayed for sale
in his store
The larger the city and the larger the
store the more specific become the du-
ties Of the buyer The department store
In city OF even moderate size sends
dozen men to buy women's wear. One
buys suits and costumes. another hosiery,
another underwear, another kimonos,
petticoats and dressing sacks, another
chiidren's things. another shirt waists,
another .Yomen's gloves, another only
handkerchiefs.
The buyer. then, enters New York with
the definite idea OF what he needs. His
arrival Is announced in daily trade pub
locations, which set forth in detail the
name OF his home town, the name of his
store, his own name, the articles he will
buy and his city address. These lists
in the regular daily newspapers They
are, to q great part Of New York the
most valuable and important news Of the
day.
The morning after the buyers name ap-
pears in the lists he is showered with
letters setting forth the advantages of
this and that particular manufacturing
concern in purveying to his wants.
=
Usually, of course, he is veteran: has
his regular houses from which to buy,
and treads a
Many to Lure Him beaten path.
With New Designs. b bs !. naturally. s,slg.
looking for something new. something
better and therefore the sheaves of let
tiers and circulars that greet him at
breakfast are not altogether wasted
Now comes the personal equation Some
buyers-the most successful in many in
stances decline to accept any courtesIes
from manufacturers, live their own lives
in their own hotels. and seek such en-
tertainment in the evening az they may
desire In their own way. But q great
number expect to be entertained. Mem
bers of manufacturing firms take Mr.