Evening star., 1925-11-22
FRENCH DRESSMAKINC
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

It pays to pay high wages. Such
is the message which Lucien Lelong,
one of the leading dressmakers of
Paris, will carry back to his COM
patriots and associates In business
after a two-month study of condi-
tions in the garment industry in the
United States. American employers
frequently bemoan the high wages
which they pay, but Mr.. Lelong says
they should rejoice, for American
wage scales are in no small degree
responsible for American prosperity.
The French couturier also finds
much to emulate in the efficiency of
American executive organization.
Heads of big business in Europe must
learn that they cannot give their
personal attention to all the details of
their affairs. he says, but must select
capable assistants and give them
authority proportionate to their re-
sponsibilities.
Not long ago a Paris dressmaker
came to America and created a sensa,
ton by declaring in an interview that
American women were dowdy dressers.
A Lightning Change Artist.
Hard on his heels there came
another Partisan purveyor to the
vanity of womankind who let the
world know that he carried no less
than II trunks for his personal ward
robe, and who established a worlds
record by changing his clothes four
times within 80 minutes.
Mr.. Lelong is altogether a different
type of representative of the great in
dustry of the French capital. He is a
hard headed, practical business man.
who does not in the least resemble
the male dreSSmaker made familiar to
the public by noveIists and dramatists.
He came to the United States with a
commission from the French govern
ment to study conditions in the gar
ment industry in this country. He
has just quilted Washington, where
he was presented to President Cool
idge by the French Ambassador and
held conferences with Secretary Of
Labor Davis and Miss Mary Ander
son, head of the Women's Bureau of
the Department of Labor. In New
York, Chicago. Boston, Philadelphia.
Pittsburgh and other cities he has
conferred with employers and labor
leaders in his industry. At no time
has he attracted attention by bizarre
conduct or sensational public utter.
anceS.
A Great Industry.
the dressmaking industry of Paris.
1T affords employment directly to
100000 people and indirectly to a
great many more. It's annual prod
uct is worth half a billion francs.
There are about 200 of the larger
dress houses in Paris and 20 OF
them have more than 500 employees
each. Six or eight of them employ
more than 1000 workers. Four
fifths of their product is exported and
the United States takes more than half
of their exports.
Mr.. Lelong has about 1900 work.
ers in his establishment and is now
making extensions that will more
than double his capacity. At his
openings he sells gowns at the rate
of $4,000 worth a day and in the
course of a year he turns out at
least 1000 models. One of his 1925
models has been duplicated $4,000
times, all authorized reproductions,
but perhaps a more adequate idea OF
the magnitude Of his business may
be conveyed If 1t be stated that since
the 1st Of August his house has used
more than $4,000 meters-13 miles-of
chiffon alone.
No Statesmen Sent Out.
"Our business is more fortunate
than other great enterprises" says
Mr.. Le1ong, Gin that we do not have
] to send out any statesmen to per-
suade the world to buy our wares.
On the contrary, the trade sends its
buyers to us. Twice year, In
February for the Spring opening, and
in August for the Autumn opening,
commercial buyers representing
stores and factories throughout the
world come to us. Seventy-five per
cent of them, or about 1900 buyers,
come from your country, represent
| ing about 700 American concerns.
| There Is no great city of the Uniteli
| States that does not send buyers
| regularly to Paris, and q few of your
| largest importers maintain perma-
| nent buying bureaus in Paris to pick
| up new models as fast as they ap-
pear.
II give such figures to show the
dignity and Importance o4 Paris
a4nessmaking as an industry. but a&