Evening star., 1948-01-16

are designed 1Of the working SHi
and are functional affairs that have
a saucy air to them. They are all
shirtwaist models, and are executed
in any number of fabrics. Incl
dentally, nearly every collection seen
to date is featuring shirtwaist and
coat dresses. The tiny jackets that
top Adele Simpsons swirling suit
skirts are titled "pelerines." Some
of the inspiration for her new fab
RIGS came from the Near East exhi-
bition that Is now being shown at
the Metropolitan Museum. Plenty
of rustic is promised the American
women by this talented designer,
and she wants it understood that
no dress of hers will fill out properly
unless they are worn with petticoats
which she has designed in fabrics
such as organdy and taffeta. She
proved this by having one OF the
models showing new spring dress
remove her petticoats in front Of the
audience. The dress without them
fell fiat and offered nothing in the
way Of new, full spring note.
Here are dots and dashes from
the spring collections Of Hansen
Bang, Brownie, Joseph Whitehead,
Anthony Blotta and Bruno:
Bruno uses pleats throughout his
collection. He favors the postillion
silhouette that has pleats at either
side of wide back flare. This
treatment is applied to jackets and
skirts. His spun rayon dresses are
sophisticated and at the same time
very gracious looking. amber
light" the gold-to-brown shades
that made such a hit in the New
York Times fashion show, is also
spotted in his new spring collection.
Hansen Bang is another designer
who keeps on the credit side Of the
sportsclothes fashion ledger. Cur
rent fashion themes are evident.
The whole collection is uncluttered.
His woolen dresses are simple but
achieve distinction when mated with
thin wool tweed jackets. Bang uses
strong colors. A definite signature
note in this house Is bias stripping.
This outlines patch pockets on both
dresses and suits, Is also used as
edging. Many coats have definite
Dior. inspiration. The famed cos
sack coat Of Dior fame has been
adapted, duplicated and has had any
number Of strange things done to it.
Nearly every house showing this
couture week has featured one or
more such coats. Some in taffeta,
some In wool and others In other
fabric combinations. ...
Anthony Blotta always turns to q
great historical period for fashion
inspiration. This spring 1t is the
French restoration. (Ed. note: This
approaching season Is by far the
greatest hodgepodge Of history we've
seen, what with the Victorian era,
the American gay '90s, the Near East
influence. The most amazing thing
is that many time periods are Blend
ed into each other very skillfully
and the designs are very appealing.)
Mr.. Blotta launches the George
Sand silhouette" which Is slim shoul-
dered and small WASTED with a full
skirt. The Byronic collar fits In
and out Of the collection and his
choice Of colors is magnificent.
Blotta lived up to his tradition Of
creating richly embroidered dinner
and evening dresses each season.
These clothes are worn with long
matching stoles, another spring note
to be watched, the yoked capelet
shoulders of the restoration period
pops up in many of his new spring
clothes. Changeable silk taffeta is
used for quite a number Of evening
dresses. One of his best dresses is
in this material. Long sleeved and
low necked Gas are most of the
spring evening clothes) 1T featured q
stole that was edged with double
rows of ruching. -.
Joseph Whitehead is a lounge
clothes designer who knows no peer
in the business. He is famous for
his fine designing of housecoats and
lounging pajamas. This spring he
introduces new lounge fashion
the culotte. He has a series Of
dresses that he includes in the -four
o'clock tea" group. These are not
long gowns but vary between being
ankle and ballerina lengths. The
most effective of these dresses are
the lovely linens which he sets of
with big pearl buttons. The shirt
waist goes "ritzy" when done in
shocking pink and white satin. The
little girl" fashion of the white
organdy dress with the big jewel
color sash is included in his collec-
ton. His wedding series was set of
by a white and pink bridal gown
that was romantic and sentl-
mental looking as any wedding gown
has a right to look. -.
Brownie uses gray in a way that
matters. There are more dresses
and jackets than just plain skirts
and jackets in her collection. Three
years ago Brownie decided to have
her feminine lady sport sound ef-
fects. She introduced whispering"
underskirts for her dresses and this
year finds nearly every other dress
featured in the institute collections
rustling along. But back to her
couture SUITS" as her outfits that
are blouse, skirt and jacket, all tied
together, are to be known. Some of
the dresses underneath the small
jackets have print tops. Others have
taffeta or tie silk for their fabric.
Brownie is one designer that hasn't
let the fashion whirl go to her head.
She is completely assured that the
exaggerated styles of last fall are
not to be put up with. Instead,
she designs clothes of great femin-
unity, using favorites such as the
navy sheer with the white lingerie
touch, print dresses with throw
coat" which Is a bright little f1ared
circular wool job.
The fabric in her skirts Is manipu-
lated so that the movement is grace
full, not bulky, possessed Of the full
ness that is desired for spring out
Il