Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-12-25

A WALK through the beautiful
~ Luxembourg Gardens in the
~ Latin Quarter will convince
any observer that Paris dress
makers do not give all their
creative attentions to grown women.
For here are flocks Of light-hearted
children, accompanied by their nurses
and governesses, quite as exquisitely
and faultlessly dressed from head to
foot as any smart lady to be found
strutting up and down the Champs
Elysees.
They may be sailing their toy boats
In the pools surrounding fountains, or
PLAYING games on the ground. or run
ming after a hoop. or sitting quietly
while an elder reads from Ma Mere
rOie' or a book of "ConteS de Fees
but you will be impressed by the care
full taste. the limitless pains that have
gone into their dress. Their httie
frocks are handworked throughout,
with as many fine stitches as il they
we're to be worn at an emperor's ball.
They may be entirely of handmade
lace or embroidered richly. They wear
blouses on which dextrous hands have
labored for long months, and thelr
coats have line, cut, style, reminiscent
of the sumptuous collections shown IN
the rue de la Paix and often trimmed
in the same furs in vogue there,
Yes, here are the loveliest children
you will find anywhere IN the world,
en- masse. The most golden hair, the
drens eyes. Nothing is too good Tor
Them nothing too fine or fancy. Chill
dren are fewer in France than else
where. You must know where to look
for them, else you may remain Tor
months in Paris without seeing
Youthful crowd such as disportS itself
eyery day in the Jardins du LuXem-
bourg; and perhaps this scarcity Is one
reason why care may be thus lavlshed
on these young sprites. 1t has been
so for a long time.
MOTHERS all take as great pride IN
4f1 the wardrobes of their children as
In their own. Some couturiers have be-
come famous through the regulations
begun by their talent for dressing their
children. Nine. Jeanne Lanv1n, one OF
the greatest couturiers Is one such IN
stance. Her children used to go TO the
Luxembourg Gardens just as children
of doting Paris parents still do, ana
their clothes, especially designed 1or
each one and carefully executed by
their gifted mother, soon became the
talk of the town. Newspapers wanted
To photograph them and the creations
they wore; other mothers initiated
them. and to initiate in Paris. where
creative originality is always at high
water mark, Is more flattering than
anywhere else. Soon Nine. Lanvin was
designing garments for other children
and these were so distinctive that
grown women wanted to wear similar
engagements. Then this artist found
herself quite unexpecteaiy ~. making max nf
the great Paris couturiers, along with
Cabot, Paquin and the rest. and her
success was complete.
But Nine. Lanvin has not forgotten
that she began this career by making
clothes for children and the. larger
success has not so completely oyer
Swallowed the earlier one that she no
longer gives a part Of her thoughts to
children. Even now from time to time,
as the mannequins display q new col
lection Of models, you will see a child
pass gracefully by wearing delightful
creation, reminding you that this artist
still loves designing for young people.
DECENTLY I sat talking to this
N French business woman. whose
success is one of the most spectacular
to be found to the credit Of the women
Of contemporary Europe. After the
famous library Of costumes IN the
,Pibliotheque Rationale. whose depart
meut Of design Is considered the worlds
r.rasst, Nine. Lanvin's u best known
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