El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-09-11

THE news comes from France that
famous couturiers have laid aside
the scissors for the sword and
gone TO fight for their country. and
that, until this cruel war is over. there
viii be no more Paris fashions
Thus does a merciful Providence
temper even the horrors Of battle. and
II the inventors Of the hobbIe skirt
and the stomach band sash and the
Wrinkled basque, and the other atroc-
LLeS that have been inflicted upon
Iemlnlnity of late should be slain.
mere are a lot OF US that would shed
no tears over their loss
. But, IN all seriousness. this war gives
lhe American dreSsmaker her chance
70 show what she can do, and to for
ever break the golden chains that have
pound her countrywomen like slaves
10 the Partisan designer.
we have talked a lot Of late years
anOut American fashions for American
. women, and many of US have looked
forward prayerfuuy TO glad day
when we would not only have clothes
| designed and made by our own people,
but clothes that would come nearer to
meeting the needs and expressing the
sane ideals of American life than do
I the flibberty- jibberty CONNECTIONS we
get from Paris.
Our ModfStes Are Just as Artistic.
w e are tired Of wearing garments
that look as if they were designed
by a person suffering from del rum
tremens to be worn by individuals af-
1llcted with sOftening Of the brain-
II has always seemed absErd that
inventive America that hcs flooded
the world with its marvellous machin-
cry and its patented labor saving de-
vices, and whose bridges and SZyscrap-
ers have made Europe marvel. hadn't
enough ingenuity to trim a hat or de-
wise new dress As matter Of fact,
II has
Our dressmakers and milliners are
Just as artistic and just as skilful as
any in Paris or London or Vienna
The trouble has been that heretofore
they have had TO work under cover
Women have been so imbued with the
Paris superstition. and have made
such a fetch Of the Paris trademark.
that our own designers have been\sac-
rificed to it
Whenever a dressmaker created a
particularly beautiful CONNECTION she
had 10 pretend that il was the work
Of some Paris designer Whenever a
milliner turned out dream Of a hat
she had TO attribute il to a French
woman, or else her stupid country
women turned up their noses at #
It is an open secret that the tags
Of famous Paris miliners and dress
makers are sold in America by the
tens Of thousands. and are calmly
sewed in dresses and hats that have
never been within thousands Of miles
Is percent Of the Paris garments sold
in America are really made in America
and designed IN America
Nor are the people who sell these
garments 10 blame It IS the Gus
TONERS who force the fraud upon them
Any woman who designs a beautiful
hat or gown would like to sign it
with her own name
Make a Fetch OF the Paris Label.
She would like to get the credit
for It. If the foolish and unpatriotic
woman who buys 1t was not willing
to pay more for it because Of its
Now that the war has put an end
TO even the alleged importation Of
French fashions il gives the American
millners and dressma kers their OD-
portunity. They can claim their own
good work and convince their doubt
ing Thomases Of sisters that American
wits are as keen American fingers as
nimble, American taste as good. and
American sewing a thousand times
better than the Partisan Also that
American designers can concoct gar
ments that will be beautiful and SEN
sihle instead of freakish.
II we can establish American fash
ions for American women We shall
open the door Of opportunity to null
titudes of our countrywOmen and keep
millions OF good American dollars at
home
And we shall take dressmaking and
millinery out of the despised trades
and put them where they belong,
among the artistic professions This
viii attract to them the women who
have a highly developed color sense
and a knowledge Of form and line. and
who are now starving along trying
to paint pictures for which there is no
market
VIII Build L. s. DressmakfnG Industry
These women will find their medium
Of expression in silks and satins and
velvets. instead of oils or water col
OrS, and they viii grow rich and IA
nous. for women will vie with each
other in possessing their masterpieces
Men say that the European war is
going TO build up a great American
to build up a great American dress