High Fashion And Dowdy Dressing In Paris

Press, Volume C, Issue 29633, 2 October 1961, Page 2

High Fashion And Dowdy Dressing In Paris

Preconceived ideas that Parisian women are chic and wellgroomed were completely shattered for Miss Gillian Watson, of Auckland, when she visited Paris a year ago. “The women I saw were quite dowdy,” she said in Christchurch yesterday. The over-all impression was of fur-lined boots, cloche berets and heavy coats. Her faith in the city's reputation as a world leader in high fashion was restored, however, when she attended a presentation of Jacques Heim’s collection of exclusive gowns. “These clothes looked like pages from glossy magazines come to life,” she said. “But the cheapest was about £4O and they were only for very wealthy clients. I didn’t see any such elegant women about Paris.” Miss Watson went to Paris to attend a training school run by a leading cosmetic firm. It was an intensive course which lasted from October to December covering all types of beauty treatments and the study of anatomy and physiology of the face. At the end came stiff oral, written and practical examinations. Lectures in French

Lectures were in French, but English-speaking students were given notes in English. Miss Watson, who had studied French extensively, said it took her about six weeks to get her ear attuned to the language. “My French was grammatically correct but rather stilted at first,” she said. The cosmetics firm which conducted the training school also had an exclusive beauty salon in the same building. On another floor was the most famous hairdresser in Paris.

“When Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy was in Paris she had her face and hair done there. Sometimes when we came out of school we would see a line of Rolls Royce cars

outside the building, but I was never lucky enough to see any of the clients,” Miss Watson said.

The cost of a rinse, shampoo and set at the hairdresser’s salon was £l2 12s, she said? Miss Watson trained as a school teacher before leaving New Zealand for Europe and has her L.R.SM. and L.T.C.L. in pianoforte. She intended to further her studies in music in London and was working there as a school teacher when the opportunity came to train as a beauty specialist. Back in New Zealand, Miss Watson is working for the firm which trained her in Paris and is in Christchurch to give free beauty consultations in a leading city store. She will also conduct a training school for staff selling the firm’s products and giving treatments.