New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-07
Who Creates Style? The Public, Say Experts

crouS upon most American women
What we take is the main idea, or the
theme, you might call it, and from
this develop something that will appeal
to che American woman"
Paris Influence
In the cloak trade the influence of
Paris is said to be less strong than in
the dress and waist trades and in the
millinery industry.
Within the last few years, according
to designers here, there has been little
change ir. real style; that is, in the
essential lines of garments. New mate
rails, new methods of trimming and
new colors have supplied most of the
style changes. Color has become ex-
tremely important in styles, and at
times rises to a paramount position,
AS an Illustration, there is at present
an almost exclusive use of black. Next
year it may be brown or gray
Even shoes have succumbed to the
Partisan influence to some extent. The
shown by Hellstern, a Partisan custom
shoe maker. On the other hand, real
French shoe styles have never been
successful in this country. Two years
age some American tourists brought
over some real French shoes, with the
blunt toes and extremely short vamps
and wore them here. A demand for
such shoes showed itself. Retailers
bought them fairly freely, and to their
disgust still have fair quantities of
them left on their shelves. twas soon
discovered that the real French last was
not suitable for the American foot.
which has different training. But the
French influence is still discarnihle in
the patterns, although the last remains
American.
Styles in Cycles
Styles so in cycles, according to some
Of those who have studied the question
from q business standpoint. Some of
them go SO far as to say that styles
repeat themselves every seven years.
But the real test of style, accord
ing to manufacturers and retailers
alike, rests with the general public
Styles can be forced to some extent
and certain amount of convenience
can be sacrificed to style, but in
the end a style must have great
amount of practical characteristics
about it or it will not "get across"
Then, too, style is killed when il
becomes common. At times this be.
GENES a boomerang on style creators
Tho vogue for the guimpe dress, it is
said, has disheartened those who first
brought it out last spring. for its very
simplicity has made it easy for the
women to produce these garments at
home, and thus has killed their sale at
the rcady-to-wear counters to a large
extent,
The style movement is keener in
the large cities than in the smalles
towns. Invariably manufacturers find
that certain styles that can be readily
sold in New York have to be toned
down when the retailer from some
small town decides to buy them. In the
large cities style always swings to an
extreme and then dies out quickly.
Although new styles stimulate trade
too frequent change of styles must
be guarded against, say the manufac-
turers. This results from the fact that
retailers have to buy merchandise in
changes in the middle of season, OF
early in the season, rs it has many
Zines recently, the value of the re-
tailer's stock declines. In many cases
he tries to throw the out of style goods
back on the hands Of the manufacture
ers, and many times he succeeds. Just
At present there is a we'll defined eff.
fort among shoe manufacturers to hold
to present styles until the fall selling
season has passed. The shoe trade il
just getting on its feet after some
stormy weather, in which cancellations
and returns played leading role. The
manufacturers de- not want to encour-
nge NOR, Of this by switching styles
before the retailer has . chance to dis
pose of the goods he has ordered at {