Evening star., 1928-12-26
TRADE IN PERFUMES
SHOWS BIG GAINS
DressmakerS Assist Dealers
in Selling Gifts-Most
Purchasers Are Men.
BY J. C. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, December 26-Personal
adornment has been the keynote of the
recent sales to and for women In the
retail shops Of the entire nation. This
is conclusively shown by reports from
department stores today and from flg-
ures compiled by Government agencies,
Naturally, not all the firms engaged
In the production of such articles have
| prospered. Those who have not fol-
lowed the trend Of styles have suffered
materially. But, in general. the die
tates Of the prevailing styles have as
sisted retail sales, wholesale distribution
and production.
Men have been quick to recognize this
trend, and in the holiday shopping sea-
son the store doing the largest business
in perfumes, in New York, has found
most of its purchasers among the male
sex, and these purchases have been
made for gifts to women. A few years
ago a purchase of $25 worth Of perfume
in this store caused comment among
the clerks. Today they are selling
ounce vials at $50 or more, and one
purchaser frequently spends from $500
to $700 or more.
DresSmakers Aid.
This trend has been materially assisted
by the dressmakers. They have taught
women that no costume is really COM
plete unless special and appropriate
perfume goes with 1t. This was natural,
since the dressmaker has also become
a perfume manufacturer.
In the first nine months Of this year
1926, 900 pounds of soaps and per-
fumes were imported into the United
States from France, according to the
French Chamber of Commerce In New
York. This was in addition to the vola-
tile oils used in perfume manufacture,
valued at 81 ,951 900 francs.
In this country there has been a total
of approximately $290, 100000 worth OF
soaps, glycerin and perfumery manu-
factured by leading firms this year. The
pay of workers engaged In this produc-
ton totaled more than $40 100000.
The total value Of toilet preparations,
including dentifrices, creams, rouges,
face and talcum powders, perfumes,
shampoos, depilatories and other
articles, was about $lS5, 900, with
face powders, dentifrices, perfumes and
creams the largest items.
hair dyes, shampoos, depilatories and
other articles, was about $785, ,000, 900,
with face powders, dentifriceS, perfumes
and creams the largest items.
On the other hand, the manufacture
and sale of combs, hairpins, barettes
and novelties used In the adornment of
women's hair, whether Of fiber, bone,
tortoise shell, celluloid, bakelite or ivory,
dropped off approximately II per cent
in the last three years to total OF
$4,325, 900.
Garment Sales Increase.
Some of the leading fashion author
tiles say the trend is toward long hair
again. It is sure that the sale OF trans
| formations to conceal the shortened
| locks is growing. The imports from
France show that. There has been a
drop in sales of hairbrushes, since few
women use anything but a comb on
bobbed tresses.
The National Retail Dry Goods Associ-
alton asserts that women are spending
more money on lingerie. The sales OF
garments increased in number fully 10
per cent in the last fiscal year. The
prices of these garments range from
| 81 to we'll into the hundreds.
Bath salts have played big part
in toilet article displays and sales and
seem to have attracted customers by
color rather than by their varieties OF
perfumes. The white towel Is diSap-
pearing from modern bathrooms ana Is
being replaced by towels matching the
tile decorations.