Evening star., 1933-07-16

6Aft1O, July o.
DARIs at this season Of the year
- Is not only quiet. but is actually
deserted. There are fewer for
eigners than there have been for
years, Americans being consplc-
uous by their absence Added to that is
the general exodus that takes place at
this time of the year. 1t Is tradition
here that every one, however modest MS
business, shall shut up shop at least for
the month of August and go to the
country. The uninitiated who starts
out to visit his shoemaker or his tailor
is quite likely to find the big shutters
drawn and a neat little sign stating
that the business is closed for the Sum-
mer or the month.
OF course. one always sees few
smart people dining in the Bois or TAX
ing tea at one Of the smart places along
the Champs ElySeeS or in the little
streets off the Rue de Rivoli. Some OF
them are French, in town for day or
two and en- route to Biarritz perhaps,
having just passed several weeks at one
OF the Channel resorts. Others are
South Americans returning from an
overseas voyage. They. too, are birds OF
passage and linger only long enough to
replenish their wardrobes before leaving
for their villas at the seacoast or in the
mountains. For many Of them are per-
manent residents of Paris and, like
Mime. Martinez de HoZ, are among the
most colorful of all the foreign colony.
Indeed. several South American beau-
ties figure In the famous "4O"-the
so-called best-dressed women In the
world. This group is Of course, always
changing. No one, It may be, can say
exactly who belongs to it and who does
not at any given time. But there are .
few names that are never missing and
they include women of every nation OF
the earth-or at least Of every Western
nation And there Is at least one woman
OF Turkish blood who figures in the list
IF Paris, as represented by the smart
L world, Is quiet, this does not hold
true OF one group. The houses OF
couture are busy For this is the sea-
son when the Fall styles are being Gre
ated behind closed doors. Everywhere
in these great houses there Is stir and
hustle. Representatives of the big
fabric houses, Rodier and Bianchini,
are bearing their precious gifts. the new
woolens and silks and velvets they have
created in recent months. Sometimes
they create a new fabric and design for
a single house, refusing to sell it else
where, thus guaranteeing to the favored
Couturier real scoop when the Open
ings come.
Designers, in a frenzy Of creation.
turn out new models by the dozen. II
is not unusual for great house to nave
several hundreds Of new models for this
important event. Smaller houses may
confine themselves to mere SO or so.
but In any case there is a hum like
a beehive up and down the Champs
Elysees, around about the Rue de la
Paix and the other streets where cou-
turiers are located. But the hum is all
inside locked doors. Every designer Is
hoping and praying that his choicest
secrets will remain secrets until the
great day. Spies are watched for and
guarded against as Zealously as II thH
were war. Only the most trusted en-
ployes are let into the real secrets.
AS result Of all this caution. no one,
or almost no one. knows what the femi-
nine world may expect when the doors
Of the great salons are opened and the
models parade past with the costumes
that women will be wearing for months
to come. OF course there are many
rumors. Shoulders. say the wise ones,
will continue to hold the limelght.
There will be variety a plenty, with
high shoulders. wide shoulders, drop
shoulders, shoulders reminiscent OF the
l6SUS, OlIleTS suggesting oil al LILY oii pa
rade. One thing that seems almost GER
tain there will be no dull, uninteresting
shoulders this season.
X
INLESS couturiers spring a surprise
~ skirt lengths will remain about as
they are-and they are as individual
istic as one could wish right now. The
once troublesome waistline, too, seems
to have settled down to its normal place,
and there is not much chance that we
shall see any revolution in that direc-
ton.
The Victorian influence will probably
continue strong, with some houses going
very Victorian and others striking a
sensible middle course.
All these are things We shall probably
be able to count on. But when it comes
to surprises, there is no one to say
what La Couture may have up her
puded sleeve. She may go ahead in q
normal way, changing little here and
4 '1ttle there. but making no drastic