Evening star., 1919-08-24

splratlons, splasheS OF primitive color,
leaping from clothes to household ef-
fects. to perfumes, to glassware. to
oddities and articles de luxe. This
season he went to Morocco for new
thoughts. The result is a swirl1ng
mass Of unusual coloration, of dull
but tempting mebroideries, Of trou-
sered skirts. of short basQues or jack
cts that flare out from the waist into
fullness at the sides.
There are demure frocks and fam
tastic ones, the kind that Poiret likes
to create, knowing that there is no
market for them. A green satin one.
as an example. that fastens down the
front with small scarlet buttons and
stands out like full trousers at the
hips. coming tight at the hem.
Poiret is nothing II not dramatic.
He senses the fact that something
startling must appear to catch the ar
rested attention of the world. He,
himself, has been afraid that his in
spiration for costumes and interior
decoration was arrested forever, for
the war work on which he has been
engaged was of the dullest kind. He
made significant contribution to the
French army, one that will live and
which had strong effect on the cas-
ualty, some say; 1t was he who expert
mentcd with color until he found that
horizon blue that turned the poilu into
seif-concealing fighter instead Of
bright red target for German fire.
Poiret was put into the position of
choosing colors. recreating new kinds
OF uniform for the various branches
OF the service and cutting the cloth
and seeing that details were shifted
and adjusted to meet new needs of
the fighters.
When one compares the French army
that marched in review before Poin-
care on July IA, 1914, and the army
that goes under the Arch of Triumph
this year one sees what good work has
been done.
After he was demobilized he dropped
down to Morocco to regain his inspira-
ton. 1t came. He decided to take
the mems costumery for his new
models and he brought back for the
work conglomerate mass of stuff
that fills his workroom from floor to
ceiling, mostly floor, in the Poiret
manner. There he sits with a half
dozen assistants and an artist putting
down details and matching materials
until frock is created. .
But he does not confine himself to
Morocco. He went back into the his
tory of France for a series of very
alluring gowns. One he calls Jeanne
dare, another he calls the Bastille.
He feels that this Is the time to call
the attention Of the world to what
France has done in the past as well as
today. The former frock is copper
colored tulle and supple medieval
metallic cloth. There are panels Of the
latter fabric front and back that
stretch downward to the hem and on
the sides the tulle stands out in fluted
ruffies. The elbow sleeves are built of
ruffies and the skirt is semi-transpar-
ent.
The gown which he calls the Bastille
is like, unto the symbolic costumes Of
revolutionary France. The skirt is
full and is built In two parts: there is
a foundation of gathered white cotton
net that reaches for about eight inches
below the knees. but this unusual
modesty in a Paris gown loses it's
significance because 1t is unlined to
well above the knees. showing a long
expanse Of flesh pink stockings ending
in sandal slippers Of dark blue satin.
Over this white net skirt is an over
skirt made in founces of dark blue
satin with wide opening in front. and
standing out at the hips to hold the
fullness of slightly wrinkled basque
which has a seam down the back and
Is pinched in at the waist, to fare over
the hips.
BY way of determining some salient
feature that runs through the Poiret
collection there Is the odd basque that
is graceful and new. 1t will be inter-
esting to watch fits progress through
the fashions. 1t Is accompanied by
the outstanding drapery on the hips,
which runs through many more types
of costumes than those made by
Poiret. Evidently the strongest kind
of effort will be made to fill the world
with skirts that are fiat back and
front, with panniers at sides.
Whoever takes the lands that lie
bolow the Mediterranean as source
Of costume places trousered skirts
first among the foundation garments
for women. These are an old, old
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