ANXIOUS DAYS FOR PARIS COUTURIERS

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28258, 22 April 1957, Page 2

ANXIOUS DAYS FOR PARIS COUTURIERS

Paris, at one time undisputed leader of world fashion, is passing through anxious days, and how to hold that position, so important to French industries, is the subject of much discussion, says “The Times.”

Couturiers are sadly perplexed They have in the face of everrising and now almost fantastic costs to produce every year two large collections. Each of these, generally, numbers about 200 models. They must bring in worth-while export orders and, also, offer the type of models required by an elegant, private clientele. The number of leading couturiers in steadily decreasing, and the financial backing needed to launch new young designers is considerable. On top of all this come the rapacious demands of the American market, ever seeking change at a pace that is threatening to throw out of gear the normal rhythm of fashion. Then there are the inroads of Italian competition and, last but not least, what are felt to be some regrettable reports in the press. Twice a year leaders of important industries, heads of great stores, powerful fashion editors, and many lesser lights journey from all over the world to Paris, to Italy, and some of them to London. And twice a year newspapers, not only those who depend on headlines to help to maintain their circulation but also more sober journals, give prominence to fashion news. In large type it is proclaimed that waists are up or hems are down, that, say, buckles are “in” or buttons are “out,” that such and such a designer “has done it again, ’ until the general public may indeed wonder if the journey was really necessary, and think that fashion is just nonsense. Which it is not—as the trade will tell you. Inevitable Change

The desire for change, they point out, is as natural as breathing, and, within reason, as healthy. And, with the continuous development of mechanical skills, of chemicals, of yarns, so must there inevitably follow changes in weaving techniques in the finished fabrics, in ways of handling them, and so of the styling of garments. The tremenous changes that have taken place, even in the last few years, in the tempo and manner of living, have influenced what is required from clothes in terms of suitability and so of appearance. What is wrong is the emphasis. Fashion is not a revolution that takes place every six months, but

a gradual process of change over a considerably longer period. It is the whole look of a woman from top to toe in style, colour, and texture, in tune with the general tenor of life at the moment; it is trends developed to logical conclusions and gradually changing. Even the most important designers have found to their cost that drastic changes of fashion cannot be imposed on a public not in the mood to accept them—though it is also true to say that the speed of modern living, added, in some cases, to the need, already mentioned, to win or hold a place in dollar markets, is hastening to some extent, but only to some extent, the pace of change. It is the “gimmicks” that all too often are b eing given an importance beyond their function, creating an impression of being the whole rather than a part. Gimmicks are not fashion. They are mere details, such as the height of a heel, the shape of a belt, of a sleeve, of a hat, or, perhaps, the length of a skirt. In some cases they have a deliberate place in a couturier’s collection as magnets to draw publicity, and so trade buyers. For it is the gimmicks that many American trade buyers are looking for, things that can be copied by mass production, for a couple of months, and cast off. Paris "'radition Paris still leads as the main source of fashion inspiration, bul the suggestion that without Paris there would be no fashion is nonsense. One might as well say that, lacking Savile Row, there would be no men’s fashions, or that, if Seville had not existed, we should never have had marmalade. During the war America developed her own fashion industry and if, immediately afterwards. Mrs Carmel Snow, American editor of “Harper’s Bazaar,” had not swung all the weight of her considerable power on to the side of Paris couture, the French industry would have had an even harder time than it has. The influence of a few “glossy” magazines is, in fact, probably the deciding factor in the life of most couturiers who seek a big volume of export orders. For, especially in the United States where selling is , expected to be positive and not negative, the busy woman, whatever her social sphere, has little time to spend looking for clothes. They are, so to speak, brought to her door in the glossy magazines, beautifully illustrated, complete to the last accessory, and carefully tied up with store promotion. Still, Paris, with more than 100 years of tradition behind her, does lead. There is the essential ambiance, an inherited appreciation of elegance, where the set of a bow, the size of a button, or the exact shade of a fabric matters to all concerned. Tradition cannot be bought, or built overnight. But most couturiers are having to decide whether they can afford to design for export as, well as for private clients, or whether they must reduce overheads, make smaller collections, and avoid expensive fireworks intended to draw publicity. In London, too. the scene is changing and couturiers are making smaller “customer” collections, cutting overheads to essentials. It is an acknowledged fact that, at its best, there is none better than classic English tailoring, but that also has come to be misrepresented. It should be the tailoring that is classic, not the shape of the garment. The more important designers are finding a quietly increasing demand for English tailored clothes from a clientele that includes some of the world’s most elegant women who can afford to buy in any market.