Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-04-27
FASHION
NOTEBOOK
BY ELEM
Charles jones Is Planning
A New Design Concept
sy tLtN
Chnrlea Iames walked into

Charles James walked into
my once recently.
He brought with him a
blueprint for providing the
American fashion industry
with an apprentice system
strongly favored with over
tones Of the Guilds" Of Me-
dieval past.
His plan, The Charles
James Foundation. Is going
10 concentrate on one area
In the garment industry
which inspires him with re-
spect: The Production De-
partment. Production is q
science. Fashion engineering.
marketing, must be treated
as SUCH" he claims.
Under his aegis, creative
talent will learn TO work
closely with the mass produc-
ton team which "midwifes"
the finished fashion product.
"Many Of the great fashion
successes In a collection are
the last-minute variations
which are made during the
duplication process" insists
Charles James. the famous
fashion designer.
The Foundation Is not TO
be a finishing school for the
person wishing to be an EN-
bryonic Chanel" he says.
Rather 1t will harness the
energies Of those creative
enough to provide the idea
that is the life's blood Of the
fashion industry.
Fifty q Year
Fifty young people a year.
IS each season, will train with
Charles James to go into the
garment industry. One-half
Of the number trained will
then teach, he hopes. De
signer is such a phony title"
says James. In New York
everybody knows big manu-
featuring firms have style
editors" who don't design.
but whom the general public
associates as the original
creator Of the idea. An ocean.
in truth. separates them.
James is for an educational
project that will reemphasize
the brand name and will
connote an identiflable ex-
cellence Of the product. That
brand name he hopes will
be given an assist by The
Charles James Foundation.
It in turn viii give a year.
~ collection, without season,
which will establish new
forms, provide criticism
which is necessary. and slim
ulate the fashion industry.
This will be given absolutely
free to be used by the gar
ment trades.
Visited Mrs. Mccormick
Mrs. Maryland Mccormick
in Washington also met with
Charles James on his visit
to our city. They dis
cussed a proposed plan TO
take adaptations and orig
inals Of American clothes TO
Russia next fall.
II asked Mrs. Mccormick
to lend her influence to help
in the procuring Of a grant,
50 that we can make a de-
finitive statement in Amer
lean couture fashion. With
this we can have an alliance
between our fashion pace
settlers and the people who
comprise the fashion popu-
lation. We must show Amer.
lean ascendency in a crea-
tive field which is not
thought to exist" he added.
The Charles James Foun-
dalton has been incorporated
in the State of Illinois. Work
will be done in New York, in
California as well as Chicago.
The new direction in an edu-
cational project is destined to
stimulate research and the
development and education
Of young, creative talent In
the field Of women's FASH
ions by offering to postgrad-
uate students selected by
qualified schools of design,
an opportunity to participate
in the actual execution,
adaptation, and projection of
original designs"
An important part of the
program will find The Charles
James Foundation attempt