Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29
BY ANNE RITTENHoUsE.

N57 THAT the next month holds for
MANI US in the way of fashion
H\J not more than two dozen
people In the world know.
These are the French designers. who
guard their secrets carefully and estab-
lish around their workrooms detec-
tive force that has much in common
with the French police system.
Women who wanted to sketch gowns
that were to be shown to the public in
a few days have been caught and lock-
ed up in a darkroom in one of these
houses, as though they were common
criminals caught in the act.
All the processes of the French law,
and they are severe and terrorizing to
the stranger, are called into being to
punish an offender who tries to get a
design of a gown from a French house
without permission.
X
x*
In another fortnight the ferment. In
fashions will be at it's height The
doors will then be opened to the Amer
lean, English and South American buy
ers. Extraordinary work will go on. to
keep out those who are not accredited
buyers.
I have trembled more violently in go
ing up the steps of the house of Cabot
or across the threshold of Paul Polrets
on the opening day than IN coming
across the ocean in war time. 1t would
take a chapter or more to describe the
reasons for trembling, but every one
who has tried the experiment OF trying
to get into detective-guarded French
house on the day that the clothes are
shown knows full well the courage
demanded for the task.
There are leaks, however. from the
great French workrooms, as we'll as
from our departments in Washington.
Somehow, somebody knows the truth.
1t is an astonishing fact that such
department stores as the Galleries La
fayette and the Louvre will have the
new models of the season ready to
sell a few days after our buyers have
seen the originals And it is also
amazing that the minor dressmakers
will give you on Friday the exact
on Monday. The natural superstition
Is that what occurs in America oc-
ours in France. Those who are en-
gagged in the workrooms sell their IN
1t is for all these reasons that the
French houses are guarding their Sc
crets this week with all the intensity
that Gen. Pershing shows in guarding
the dispatches about our troops.
The things that we have been able
to find out are interesting. They may
prove true. No one can verify the
genuineness of these rumors until Au-
gust is well advanced toward Septem-
Der, but here they are for those who
want to know what is to come. mora
than what has been.
4 +
The new silhouette, it is said. will
be slim and tight just below the waist
line. around the hips. and there will
be no flare from shoulder to instep.
Coats are cut to the hip line and are
either bound in with fur or embroid-
cred cloth. There is no attempt to
curve garments in at the waist line.
There Is no attempt to fatten the fab
RIGS against the figure in order to out
line the anatomy beneath. The cloth
will hang in a straight line from the
shoulder to the girdle at the hips,
thereby giving a well known oriental
silhouette that has come and gone
through the fashions in recurring
cycles.
Skirts will be exceedingly narrow for
walking and for the evening they will
be long and in flowing lines that do
not flare, but cling to the figure in the
fashion of the orient.
House gowns and evening gowns will
touch the floor and cover the toes in
front. swirling out into greater length
at the back.
The high collar, it is said. will re-
place the low one. The decolletage
that is expected is the straight Italian
line of the fifteenth century. used in
mems costumery as well as women's.
In opposition to this is the high,