Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-15
STYLE |SPROBLEM
| Of CLOTHES TRADE
Methods of ForecaSting Have
| Big Effect on Textile In
{ duStry of United States.
I. BY J. C. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, July 1S.-Styles still
are forming the major worry. of the
apparel manufacturers and dealers
of the country. Changes may be
slight, and most women's wear manu-
facturers feel they will be. But these
changes are none the less important,
since retailers are waiting anxiously
for their development before stock,
ing up,
apparel are attempting to cooperate
to aid themselves and their distrib-
utors to solve this problem. but the
results of their efforts are partly
uncertain. The plan is for each Of
them to make a study of the Paris
and London styles, determine what
the trend will be and cooperate so as
10 avoid the necessity of putting out
, large numbers of models and carry
ing in stock large numbers of colors.
For example, If textile manufac.
turerS find that the foreign styles
call for certain weaveS in certain col.
orS, they will convey that informa.
ton to the milliners, dressmakers,
stocking manufacturers and shoe.
makers SO that the latter can adjust
their own models to the general style
trend and obviate the production of
goods in a wide color range.
Can't Forecast Styles.
Experts agree that it is a splendid
plan II it can be properly executed
but they point out that nobody in
Paris or elsewhere yet has been able
TO forecast styles or colors with abso-
lutte accuracy. 1t would have been
easier in the old days when STYLES in
New York were three months or more
behind Paris. but today photographs
of the latest designs are cabIed or
wlrelessed over the day they appear
and the models themselves are re.
ceived within five DAYS,
There is small doubt, however. that
the cooperation of makers of various
kinds OF apparel in limiting colors has
been and will be helpful. This is con-
nrmed from the retailers standpoint
by such experts as Samuel w. sRey.,
burn Of Lord & Taylor of New York,
and A. Lincoln Filene of Boston.
Cooperative studies for 10 or Is
years would no doubt give us much
material that would help art in busi.
ness and the art of business Mr..
Reyburn. said. -.
There will be great economies for
both manufacturers and retailers"
said MFR. Filene, when It is possible
to exercise some degree Of control
over style production through acc,l.
rate forecast Of what styles will be-"
Telling Public What 1t Wants.
:. Some merchandising experts fear
that the plan may involve a partial
return to the policy of trying to tell
the public what it ought to want in,
stead of providing what it wants.
Some of the fashion experts believe
too many men and not enough
women are passing on goods before
they are offered to the buyer in the
retail store. They feel that all such
articles should have to answer sue.
cessfnlly the question, Would +
wear IT myself" to woman, Thew
say that Il. this were not the case the
cotton manufacturers would not have
considered with chiIdlike simplicity
simple appeal to women to return
TO petticoats and long skirts
as way out of the textile manufac.
turers' difficulties.
Some of the textile manufacturers
and sewing machine Companies ha-,e
started schools of dress designing and
dress making in a small way.
The necessity for giving considera.
non to style is shown by. the report
OF the York Manufacturing Co. of
Saco' Me. This company has been a
large manufacturer of ginghams, and
IN the last year has operated at onlv
- per cent of capacity, as against
3ths per cent in 1926. Net loss for
Inc last fiscal year was nearly
SSVU,OoO, put when experiments were
nade with rayon fabrics and the
fancy slnghams- the novelties went