New Britain herald., 1929-05-17
COPIED FASHIONS RUNNING PROFITS
Pans aouk E Phsiubb Spoil
 Coltllids' Sd6
BY MINOIT SAUNDERS NEA 4ArvfrA wrifar


 Paris. May IT = The latest fash ion among the high class couturiers of Paris ts krumbling. The spring season has fallen far short of their expectations, particularly with re- gard to the American market, and the future is none too bright for the high art of French couture.
 The chief complaont of the dress makers is against the foreign buy CTS. The buyers are not pla yine the game, according to the creators Their methods are cold, often oues- tlonable. business methods. with little consideration for art, and they are accused Of undermining Inc very art of which they are cap- italixing.
 Don't Bay So Much
 The influx of American buyers has been increasing each year since the war. but their purchases are now amazingly falling of. the cou- turiers say. They come for ideas and leave most of the original models in the show rooms.
 Copying has become . curse 10 tho couturiers and it is undeniably tapping their creative energy. Whereas each big buyer used 10 select three or four models from the best collections, he will now only take one perhaps, and with it he will carry back home designs and copies from which thousands of gowns are turned out.
 Some months ago several of the best known dressmaking houses - but not all of the best-formed combination and took steps to de- feat the copyists. They refused to deliver models to the buyers or their commissioners here. as had been their practice, but put the originals on boats headed for their destination. Such measures aa they have been able to take. however. have not yet proved sufficiently ef- fective to defeat the copyists, who have built up systems which defy the challenge of the couturiers. There is . law here against copying, but the fines have 90 far been 90 small that legal action is no deterrent.
 These fashion pirates are threat ening to ruin our business" said one couturier in admitting the de- cline in business. but who does not wish his name associated with the suggestion of . reverse. "A new collection means a vast expendi- ture to us and months of creative work. We must charge prices for models to cover our overhead and leave us | reasonable profit.
 But what is happening: We proudly show our models and the 1 ideas are promptly stolen. A model that took weeks perhaps to perfect can be copied in c4 hours. In our horse there are about 800 workers, mostly women. and naturally we i cannot avoid all leaks. but it is dis tressing to ind designs of new models reaching American houses before the models are even shown here. The explanation is that the {, buyers are scheming with copyists and designers, even with little seamstresses, to steal our ideas and hood the market with them.
 we have no copyright protection. 4 plaEiarist can appropriate our art as he could take a new book from the publishers press. copy the most striking passages and rush through . book which he may claim as his own. Of course he can sell 1t. but the author gets no credit or 
 Buyers Get Together
 The buying business has reached such a state of affairs that, I am informed. buyers repre- senting big American houses pick up . model here and there and then get together in their hotel rooms to exchange designs. In that way one buyer may go back with half dozen models for the price of one. They are not exactly exclusive. but zach model represents the ideas of the various big houses"
 The result is that creators are TOW distracted from their work and ore trying to defeat the copyists And the methods of the buyers. In the meantime the art of French couture is suffering.