Imperial Valley press., 1913-10-20
Haskin Letters
Womens Wear-Turning Art Into
Money

The Partisan modlSte has found the
Iplilosophers' stone. He has solved the
riddle that confounded the alchemists
through a thousand years and more.
He forsook the realm of physics for
that of psychology and discovered
there that by pretending to scorn the
gold he most desired, and by simuIat-
! ING a worship of art for arts sake,
he could make purses yawn not only
in his beloved Paris, but in New York
and Buenos Ayres, in Chicago and
Havana. in St. Petersburg, Russia, and
St. Petersburg, Florida.
He would be rash. indeed, who
would attempt to assign post of pre-
eminence to any particular one of the
score of men and women who domln
ate the business of creating fashions
in the French capital But for this
one wear. largely on account of the
influence of lie Minaret." Paul Poir-
ct undoubtedly is most talked about.
How he despises money for money 5
sake and loves art for arts sake he
tells himself. He came to the United
States last month, but not on bust
ness trip-oh, no! He came for the
purpose of uplifting the artistry Of
American costuming.
When he arrived in New York ard
took up his abode in a fashionable
hotel he was besieged by reporters
and interviewers. representing not
only the regular journals, but, Of
vastly more Importance to the trade,
the technical and business papers de-
voted to womens' wear. But he did
not receive the reporters-not then.
The stage was not set. 1t was the
second day before his doors were
thrown open.
The room in which he then received
the representatives of the newspapers
was decorated to correspond with the
Poiret studio in Paris. the artistic
note being accented in groups of mag
nifcent sofa pillows, in gold and sill"
yer tissues and metal brocades,
thrown in Oriental fashion upon the
floor. Under them was a typical
Poiret rug" in the vivid but blending
colors dominant in this years modes.
A large black screen, with the Poiret
rose design, formed a background,
and placed about the room were huge
clusters of American Beauty roses
the one compliment to his host, Uncle
Sam.
NJ. Poiret appeared dressed in the
correct Partisan mode and Madame
Poiret was gowned in Oriental fash
ion, wearing a simple white silk
gown which slips on over the head,
the lines extremely simple and falling
stright from shoulders to hem, with
short kimona sleeves. Her head was
wrapped in Oriental fashion in the
same fabric of which her gown was
made, and around her neck, suspend
ed by single thread, was a single
pearl. On her feet she wore white
silk stockings and emerald green sat
in slippers.
Il came to this country to see my
best friends" said NJ. Pioret, "and not
at all for business. My object in Wis
iting your country was to observe how
the American woman interpreted my
styles and how she wore my gowns. /
am not here for commercial purposes.
Of course, in Paris | am a business
man, but l do not dwell upon the
commercial outcome. On the con-
trary, first | am an artist and | desire
to be unassuming."
Then he proceeded to demonstrate
how really unassuming he is.
"In Paris" he continued, Il reside
in private hotel, and ladies come to
me not to buy dresses, but as they
would go to the Temple of Elegance,
as they would 90 to an artist to have
their portraits painted. My name IS
above the door and in the foreground
is a large garden. They come there
quite as they would to a private home.
'All the things | do in my life are
uncommercial. They become CONNER
cial, of course, because they must be,
but again | repeat that | came here
to see how people wore my models
and also bcause | am afraid of what
people think of my dresses. l am a
daring innovatOr, and as soon as peo-
pie see something extraordinary they
think it is mine, but I do not desire
the reputation of creating all that is
audacious and bizarre. l saw in a
newspaper that l believed in dressing
women boldly. This is just the op-
posite Of my idea. My principles are
only two. The search for greater
simplicity, and the search for one de-
tail, very personal. Women must
wear something simple, but personal
or individual. Il can be personal
without extravaganza. Simple things
prove most original"
1t was at this point that Madame
Poiret walked across the floor, show
ing her uncorseted figure. Then
the great modiste said that American
women really should dispense with
corsets for home and evening wear,
retaining them if they like when
dressing for the street.
Then he was asked: "What will be
the next mode?"
That cannot tel exactly" he said
"The mode does not come from theory;
it is a sort Of feeling. If it is pos
slble to get an inspiration or a prin-
ciple from any political influence, then
this is probably the reason why Paris
remains the center Of the world Of
fashion, because her people are the
most sensitive and feel all the influ-
ences and emotions. When all the
world looks to the Orient, the mode
becomes Oriental. When Napoleon
was in Egypt women in Paris wore
turbans, when he was in Italy, Paris
adopted the Pompeian styles. When
Nano1gnv III ,r,ae -, A ,,Cip,. II ,,o,,o.ry,