The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1919-04-18
ART OF DRESS
As Much in it as in Painting
or Poetry
CLOS Angeles Times)

\LOS Angeles IIlcS)
There is no formula to the crea-
ton of Style. no chemistry to an
alyze it. 1t is indefinable as
beauty, as potent as personality. Dis
sect. if you can, the Venus de Milo,
Shakespeare's Hamlet" or Bee
thoven's Fifth Symphony A witty
Frenchman defined style in the inn
mortal epigram, Style is the man. y
The twentieth century would modify
it by saying, Style is the woman
AS the majestic Queen of Sheba
swept BY King Solomon in robe of
crimson. studded with topaz and
emeaalds, the woman DIS creative
artist was born In all the change and
flux of social conditions, the eternal
| feminine has found in dress the outer
manifestations of her beauty. While
art in dress as specific and unique
enterprise it is by no means unrelated
to the higher arts. and it has its laws,
technique and form, in the same man
ner that painting. music and poetry
are subject ITO definite laws of STYLE
But if we cannot analyze style in
to its constituent parts we recognize
it in all its variations h. its results
The finished product heighteus the
sense and enhances our perception of
the beautiful
Has Special Place
Thanks to that evolutionary pro-
cess which shapes every department
of human endeavor. art in dress has
achieved special place in the ere
alive hierarchy Dress is becoming
as individual as the human person
alitv itself. There is not one style
there is an infinity of STYLES. Every
dress has its peculiar tissue, weave,
design and form
Dress is woven of the wocf of con-
ception across the warp of design.
While these general statements have
universal applicability. it is. after
all. the individual experience of each
creator in dress that Eliminates the
subject. I c1nnot cerform the mi
racle of defining style but I can ex-
plain my attitude toward it. the aims !
would serve and the ooaI I would set.
After all, if the designer stands back
of the work of art it is his conceptioul
and his vision that underlie the result |
Let me therefore explain terselv what |
it is we imply by the motto of our
enterprise. 1--WE originate everything
we make"
| would not attempt to discredit |
those leading houses of fashion WHICH |
have always pinned their faith on fer
eign productions. I can readily I'M
derstand that in the infancy of this
field in America we should have had
to rely on the richer experience. the
deeper insights and traditions of the
Old World, but just as we in this
country have been steadily working
out our own salvation in business. ;;rt
and the sciences, so are we gradually
emancipating ourselves from that ad-
herence to borrowed ideas on fashion.
which when carried too far, becomes
slavishness rather than appreciation
The genius of America is no laggard
and its development is a consistent
self-expression in accordance with our
ideas and ideals which are uniquely
our own. Because of my indomitable
faith in this genius. I, from the very
first. adhered to the purpose of work
ing out distinctive styles in dress
rooted in American conceptions and
adapted to our peculiar needs.
It's Basis Universal
While the basis of style is uni
versal, its manifestations vary with
local conditions What would we
think of an American architect plan
ming an office building after Byzan-
tine styless Our skyscraper is not
an abnormal deviation from art but
| the highest art expression of our
national genius and traits. II we
have created an American architec-
ture and American literature and an
| American system of ideals in social
problems, why should we NOT have
Americanism in dress, which should
combine those elements of the old
world which are universal and those
special features and forms which are
our seif-expression, That is why we
originate everything we make, and
this statement will lead up to our
answer to the second question.
America is just now going through
transition period rich with the pos
sibilities of progress New ideas. new
forces grip us. It is difficult TO be-
lieve that the art OF dress will not re-
spond to these epochal forces. will not
reap benefit from the new worII
which is being born before our ewes
The war has not altered us ont
wardly, but it has left a deco i'm.
preston On our innermost selves
american women are as alert to sense
the change as our statesmen. Nc
doubt the eternal foundations Of art
IN dress will remain for Spiritually
the human race is one coherent con-
tinuIty. but, as have explained be-