New-York tribune., 1919-09-21
Mil1iners Would
Establish Seasons
For Women's. Hats
Fluctuations in Material
Prices Have Disrupted
Former Conditions: Sea-
sOnable Sales Disappear

The campaign Of the millinery trade
to bring about this year distinctly
mid-winter season was characterized d
yesterday by Harry S. Bernhard, pres,
dent of the Retail Millinery Association
of America and head Of the millinery
department OF Gimbcl Brothers. as an
other link in the chain to bring back
the use of materials and fabrics in har-
mony with the seasons.
"The recent exhibit of womeu's nat ;
at the Hotel Astor in conjunction with
the fashion show of the Retail Milli-
merry Association OF America" he said
displayed headgcar collected from the
museums tina, took US back some three
thousand years, ii was evident that
the women Of bygone days adorned
themselves vita hoad"car OF whatever
material was available, and were un-
doubtediy happy with thcir Grade deco
rations.
But the woman OF to-day has learned
other lessons, and her desires in dress
are entirely different. AS the materials
that are in use b. the present day
world were discovered. invented. pro
duced and placed on the market. good
sense naturally assigned each item to
a season OF the year consistent with
the weather; straN ani other light
weight materials for The hot days, vel
vets and other woven fabrics, furs. etc,
for the cold period
"The designers o. Par,s and OF tha
rest Of the fashion world evolved Won
derful creations from the vast amount
of requisites at hand. and everything
was serene and proper. But oompeti-
tion came and millinery developed
into an immense industry that -day X
Is one of the leading crafts OF the mer-
Dl>i
ever, that arc different from al other
lines, for no industry is more at the
mercy of fashions whims.
There is absolutely no intrinsic
value to millinery. Values fuctuate
continually, and much money is made
or lost by tho turn OF fashions favor.
Ofttimes merchants plunge on materials
that their Judgment tells them will
prove to bc in stron~ demand. only to
meet with disappointment. Money is
lost and they begin to seek for some
thing to recouD their losses without
thought of season.
"In addition, after the first rush Of
= season is over there is always d
temporary lull. Although expected. it
is but natural for manufacturers to
chafe at delay. They produce new
styles with the idea of tempting the
buyer and keeping their plants active.
mus tnP seasons are lHTOWl UIl out Oh
gear. There are many other causes
that have contributed, but all Of them
working in subtle manner have
gradually brought about a condition
that was untenable and illogical. The
seasons were rushed so far ahead .tfat
finally winter goods were being shown
for summer wear and vice versa. 1t
was eventually recognized that it was
all wrong, that it was neither sound
nor logical. There was only one solu-
tion and that was organized effort. The
Retail Millinery Association of America
was organized and began ploughing
new fields. 1t was difficult work at
first, as all crusading problems are.
1t seemed an impossible task, but we
knew that we were right. It was not
long before other branches o. the in
dustry gave their heart and splendid
cooperation and then results began to
show.
"The summer campaign WINS success
full beyond expectation. The summer
of 1919 found tho feminine world
crowned with summer hats in perfect
tune with the season. The next step
is the producing and showing Of proper
and timely fashions for winter wear"