The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-10-09
Sources of Fashion

khe fashion. One season it will ba ono maker who is the pronounced leader and one season another. Even she autocrsts, such as Callot, Cher Git and Worth, often bow low their heads in acknowledgment of tenn porary defeat by the newcomer, . kss well known establishment.
 During the last two years Made leine Vionnet has held the fancy of the public to such an extent that the Vionnet genre or style is being followed by practically every maker in Paris
 Quite unwillingly the old and long established firms found themselves forced to add to their collections gowns of this floating panel type. It was with the greatest precaution that they took on these Vionnet ef- fects, because they did not wish to have tho appearance of copying an- other maker, especially a practical ly unknown person like Madeleine vionnet, who at the opening of the war had just launched her business. When Ancient Dress
 Served as Inspiration
 A DECADE ago they had had the
 same experience through Paul Poiret, who was the first to launch the chemiss gown, ultimately &C., ecpted by everybody. Redfern also has to his credit the introduction in 1909 of the M5yen Age, or low waistlins, sixth century dress, which has survived throughout the last twelve years in some form or other.
 It was through s series of cos tunes designed for romantic play, given at the Comedie Franchise in 1909, that Redfern attained his definite success of that season and several following seasons. He at that time waved the scepter of. au- thority over all Paris Many stub born makers who refused at first to follow this new fashion note were forced to take up Redfern's idea, hserewsd from the ancient dress-
 And as late ss two years after Redfern had introduced the Nero vingian styles, making them, through his designs, applicable to medern dress, other famous cou- sariers msds the low waistline tho dominant feature of their coliec- tions. It was, however, something that was forced upon them rather thaa willingly accepted
 Psrhaps nsver in the history of modern fashions had there been moro prseipitous change in the styles than that wrought through Rsdfsrn's successful presentation sf tAsss Low waistlins effects
 Ls~ Waistline Inspired Bv the Mayen Age IT IS to Mir. Redfern's lucky stroke
 that we owe the graceful, conn fertable interpretations of all the ags-old ideas. It was these adap- tations from the dress of the Middle Agss that led, step by step, into other definite revivals, such as Cal 1 lots Egyptian and Oriental styles, Poiret's chemise or peasant dress, tho Russian styles of Jeanne Lam win. the kimono and Japanese eff fleets of Cheruit and the flowing Greek styles of Madeleine vionnet.
 Looking back over this changing | record of style adaptations one realizes that it is to, this movement launched by Redfern, the revival of tho Moyen Age styles, that women owe their final emancipation from the artificial and compressed figure. 1 ThAt is to say, it is this influence in fashion, marching step by step tow ard the expression of natural rather than artificial beauty, that has cul- ! minated in the uncorseted figure.
 The Moyen Age feeling runs throughout the entire collection of t Gabrielle Chanel, influencing all of