Evening star., 1924-10-30
BY LOUISE ROCHON HOOVER.

NJ Patou has with him s trunks,
containing so suits, innumerable pairs
Of shoes and so on. But in no
way does he impress one as simply
a dandy. He is in every detail the
polished gentleman, obviously from in
nate good taste and breeding. not by
acquisition. and his perfect grooming
lacks all conspicuous elements. His
axiom in dressing is that a gentleman
should be so well dressed that, in Is
minutes after having seen him. one
should not be able to remember a
single thing he had on.
This was all extremely interesting,
of course, but the thing we wanted to
know was What will smart women
wear?" Volleys of questions were fired
at him, whether skirts would remain
short If straight lines would continue,
what colors fashion would favor and
SO on ad inflnitum.
To which he answered: You ask
me for a formula in dress. There can
be no formula. Every fashion must be
adapted to the Individual. Will skirts
remain short? That is a question OF
the height, the type, the ankles of the
wcarer. ColorS? Again it is for you to
find your particular color and wear it.
Straight lines? Yes, but with fullness
cleverly diSsimulated. The smart
woman's gown should present perpen-
dicular lines when she is in repoSe
and yet there should be fullness to
give flowing lines for motion"
At this exciting juncture luncheon
was served and the all-important mat
ter of Spring styles temporarily
wait long. however. for further words
Of wisdom to fall and the bombarding
with questions again started
NJ. Patou was begged for an Item
absolutely new in fashions, something
that had never been seen before and
that stood out as distinctly different
from all that had preceded it. Moth
ing OF the sort exists he said.
Fashions are not revolutionary, but
rather an outcome which takes place
season after season, according to the
demands of smart women. I have
never sponsored anything startling or
theatrical in my collections. When
design dress I ask myself if I would
be willing to act as escort to the lady
who is wearing it. That is the true
test. Simplicity of design, richness
OF material and detail. those are the
things / stress
Each season when the new col.
lections are shown in my establish
nent 1t is the weave of a material.
the intricacy of a simple cut, the me-
ticulous workmanship and detail
which are noted. Fashion is so much
more thing of individuality than of
strikingly new lines. l know many
smart women in France who have
never changed shapes in their hats.
They have found style which be-
comes them, and they continue to
have that same style made each sea-
son in different textures and coIors.
II is tho same with frocks. Many
= Parisienne views a collection Of
about $50 models, chooses the one
which suits her best and has it made
up in several different materials and
color combinations
In only few subjects was NJ. Patou
willing to make conclusive state
rents. One of them was the question
of colors for street wear. Black, he
said. was losing it's popularity. That
IS because, in France, women dress to
please men, and men do not like
black. They prefer shades Of brown
or navy blue So in the Spring we
will have these shades and also some
green
In France women do not dress as
much for display as we do. They
makes them look smart, not In clothes
that make dining room full OF peo-
plo turn around and stare Mile.
Chanel once said that the test Of a
snartly dressed woman was that she
could pass In a motley crowd unno-
ficed, but with tho exquisite perfec-
ton Of her costume, cause d mild
'snsatlon when joining group of
those who knew.
Sham of any sort VI. Patou scorns.
Cheap materials made up into sensa-
iional styles to startle the ignorant
and all such exhibitions of bad taste
como under this category. Even in
Jewelry, only the obviously false nov
city affairs are permissible. He likes
tinted pearls, as they make no pre-
tense of masquerading as Oriental
ones. and very large decorative
pearls, obviously manufactured. All
dewelry in imitation which poses as
genuine Is taboo.
He was asked about furs. and an
swered that they are a chic accessory.
but In themselves cannot accomplish
the perfect toilette Used to trim in
significant materials they are gro
fcSQue. but as an addition to the ele-
giant costume they are without rival.
1t seems that NJ. Patou's father was
a furrier and that NJ. Jean Patou felt
that in furs alone he could not success
fully carry out his idea of dressing wom-
rn better than they had ever been dress
I'd before. So he elected to become
IL couturier, and so cover the entire
1ctu OI "oHIci dppdIel, HSI
,he perfect costume to offset her
handsome furs.
The ensemble costume, he says, has
rome to stay. 1t answers efficiently
the needs Of smart women, making
them feel always at ease and well
turned out There are not more than
five models in his entire collection.
but they have their matching coats
He Is very fond of chiffon. 1t of.
sers such endless possibilities in tho
hands of the artist, while with less
experienced dressmakers it Is worth
less. Skilled fingers can give it the
grace of a lovely fountain, in it's soft
flowing lines And it may have such
beautiful colors.
NJ Patou favors color in evening
;,pwnS. Then is the time to be color
Ful, he thinks, for as men are forever
consigned to black for evening, when
women also wear 1t the scene of fes-
tivity Immediately becomes transformed
into the suggestion Of a funeral
There will be many new materials
this Spring. Among them, frisotta, a
silk and wool material of heavy,
raised texture NJ. Patou has orig
mated many fabrics, Patou crepe be-
ing perhaps the best known OF these.
He has his own mills which produce
many h1nd-woven materials. and all
The materials used in the Fatou es-
tablishment are either made there OF