Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-11-05
ELABORATE GOWNS
OF AMERICAN MAKE
CHALLENGE PARIS
Fifth Avenue Bid for Rue
de la Paix's Place in Fash
ion World Made at Ritz
Parade.
By MARGARET MASON

NEW YORK, Nov. 5.-"Made in United
States. America" fashions for the United
States America maiden are being formal
! ly presented today to some of our leading
| multi-millionairesses who until last night
had never given a thought to the posi-.
bility Of a gown daring to hail from any
other place than dear "Paree," with the
accent and fathers thoughts on the dear
The coming out party for American
| fashions started last night at the Ritz
and, judging from some of the exhibits
In land out" Of the new evening gowns
is good, although perhaps the past tense
should have, been used
One hundred and twenty-five gowns
with accomplishments calculated to put
any ordinary father or husband in a bank
ruptcy court, and each one guaranteed tc
have been designed and executed right or
the island OF Manhattan, were exhibited
the mannequlns being volunteers from the
homes OF some of New York's and New
ports ldlest rich.
The entire affair was given a red, white
and blush Cohanesque atmosphere-even
to the point that no flowers but American
Beauties were shown. The intensity OF
the patriotism was manifest when Rus
sian wolf hound, used in one tableaux,
was given the gate and took 1t.
GREAT NIGHT FOR FIFTH AVENUE
Last nights parade of homemade
frocks nailed to the mast 5th avenue s
right to a permanent place in the sun OF
fashion. To be sure, Poiret. Worth, Red
fern and Doucet for the nonce can worry
to better advantage over the designs of
German Zeppelinists than over the designs
. 1rtN aNar he.
been made.
In all seriousness the present exhibit
seems certain to lead to a state OF AFFAIRS
where the effects OF the Rue de le Paix
may be obtained by the American woman
of fashion without the necessity of suf-
fering either from NAL de mer or an Inn
port duty. II nothing else has been ac-
present exhibit for American designers
to sew their own labels on their frocks
and sell them on their own merits.
Heretofore II took an imported label to
command desirable price on any Amer
ican-made garment, no matter what it's
artistic worth. According to the Fifth
avenue designers they have no desire to
get beyond the bounds of the Monroe
Doctrine, ana the most they hope to ao-
complish for the immediate present is to
be able TO make their sales talk plain
English without the necessity Of using
French accent.
DIDN'T LOOK LIKE HARD TIMES.
New YoFk's social register has been de-
pletsd by the list OF patronesses for the
fashion fete. and the turnout at the Ritz
last night. with its accompaniment of
Jewels and hnery. seemed to bear out
President Wilson'S ideas relative to the
psychological hard times.
Gowns valued at $4,000 (cOrrec) in
good round fguFes-some OF them "on'
round hgures not so good-and $4,000
worth OF ieweIry designed and loaned by
New York jewellers, were exhibited. In
consequences there were probably more
fine-looking young men In the crowd than
have been seen at a New York society
gathering In many moons. the added
touch being given by a hock OF fault
leEsly attired hy-eOps detailed TO guard
the loaned jewels.
The bulls In the fashion shop were not
meant TO be distinguishes from the others
OF New York's smart set, but class will
tell, and the cops seemed 70 be the class.
The fact Was that despite the success
OF the fete, It must be admitted that the
New York designers are working under
handicap. Whereas the Partisan design
srs have the pick Of the peach crop Of
Ia Belle France from which 20 select
their mannequins. the exhibitors At the
Rita are forced 10 display their artistic
efforts on the backs OF more million
airesses.