The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-03


 has more than 10000 women who are engaged on parts of ladies' dresses, In contradistinction to the completed costumes, and they turn out prod uct worth about S10.000,0 coo year. 1t has thousands working on corsets, not only for Paris but for all parts of France and for shipment abroad. It has 5000 furniture shops, each em- ploying three or four hands. The furniture does not compare in dura- bility with ours, made by machinery; but 1t is exquisitely carved and a great deal is gilded. There are z, ,e00 shops here making watches to the value of S5,000,000 per annum; and other thousands making articles de Paris, which means notions and fancy goods of all sorts, including jewelry artificial flowers and dainty bits of leather, horn, Done and ivory In fact, the French are producing almost anything one can imagine, and they make everything well.
 Fine Gowns For America
 One of the big industries of Paris is in supplying millinery and gowns for the rich of the fashionable world Just now the best market is the Unit ed States, and every American wom- an who passes through carries home Parisian frocks and hats. Those who have several should watch out for the customs. According to our tariff laws no person can bring into the United States more than $100 worth of new clothes without paying duty. The inspectors examine one's bag gage. and there is no way of avoid ing the tax without lying It costs Ar ,1..,, gown made by one of the best Paris dressmakers, and costumes of velvet or silk range from s200 upwards. Lower prices may be put on the bills which the tourists take home, but our customs officers are watchfuI and such frauds are often detected.
 Smuggling today is more difficult than 1t was in the past It used to be that thousands of rich Americans came to Paris once year to re plenish their wardrobes; and the weather often went back with eight or ten trunks filled with dresses. Many would not even wear the dresses before sailing, and others would put on half dozen different frocks in a day, discarding each in a few minutes in order to declare that it had been worn. Some sewed old labels into their gowns and had other schemes to make the new things look old.
 It was the same with some of the New York dressmakers who brought in gowns without paying duty and with the Paris modistes who took orders for future delivery and had the dresses carried home by American friends. This wholesale cheating has l.t. things still escape the customs, and most tourists carry home with them two or three new gowns and hats.
 How the French Sell Their Dresses
 Paris sets the fashions for all the world. Most of our large stores send their buyers for gowns, hats and other Paris specialties, to be sold the next season, Such buyers will take home only one dress or hat of a kind to show in the windows, and then take orders for copies. Such ar ticles are called models; and making them IS a regular business They are designed by the great artists in the famous dressmaking houses, and such houses have exhibitions to which the American buyers are invited by card. These occasions are quite ceremonial, and beautiful women, employed for the purpose. walk back and forth wearing the gowns while the buyers pick out such as they think will ap peal to the American market. One famous dressmaker this year showed his creations at a supper given in beautiful garden, the manneqnins walking about among the tables. Later there are exhibitions of the same model for individual pur- ehasers, and copies are subject to sale or export by the establishment in which they originate
 How to Get a Paris Gown Cheap
 One can pay almost anything she pleases for fine gown in Paris. The great dress makers are artists, and they charge for their specialized skill. The primary Frenchwonan, however, doss not patronize them. nor does she get her foot on the Rue de Ia Prix Except to go window