SPRING FASHIONS IN LONDON

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26944, 21 January 1953, Page 2

SPRING FASHIONS IN LONDON

FINE* WOOL FABRICS POPULAR Anticipating a demand for clothes with a Coronation theme, fashion houses showing their spring, 1953, collections appear to have catered for every possible occasion—from what to wear to view the procession to what to wear to entertain overseas visitors, says the London correspondent of the New Zealand Wool Board. Wholesalers are showing much larger collections and a wider variety of models. Houses that are famous for day clothes often introduce evening wear, or sports wear and vice versa. Afternoon dresses stage a triumphant return in 1953 and some of the loveliest are in the new featherweight worsteds in glowing Coronation colours like Elizabethan red and Royal purple. Fashion’s spotlight is frequently focused on white and less black is shown this season than usual. The coming Royal occasion has dearly inspired the designers. Even casual clothes are designed on classic —almost regal lines. The Queen, who has always taken a great interest in British fashions, is herself a leader of fashion and copies of her clothes are quickly on sale in the shops, though many of her more elaborate gowns are impossible to reproduce economically. There are a number of subtle and significant changes to be seen in style and line in these early collections. Clothes are more feminine and romantic, but nevertheless practical. Ensembles are double or treole purpose. A day dress for example, in fine wool jersey is more than it seems, The bodice of the dress is, in fact, a neatly fitting bolero jacket and hides the flattering decolletage of a delightful cocktail gown. There is a matching stole, too, for those who do not like the uncovered shoulderline. Busy women will love these as they loved the reversible coats that are still very fashionable.

In the traditional manner, faultlessly tailored suits in fine tweeds, wools or worsteds play an important part in the wholesale collections. Here again there is a subtle change in style. There is a softer, less masculine look. Accent is on the rounded, feminine curves of hips, shoulders and bust. Waists are still tiny.

As always there is an abundance of fine fabrics. Worsteds are used with skill and imagination for town suits and tailored dresses. Coatings are often deep pile, fabrics with a soft texture, though a number of the coats shown are of the boucle type wools with a nubbly poodle cloth surface.