Parisian Fashions Shown In Cottons

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 2

Parisian Fashions Shown In Cottons

A Paris-inspired fashion parade held in a city department store last evening introduced French cottons in the latest overseas styles, primarily to show the home dressmaker that she can dress in up-to-the-minute fashion while working to a budget. The changes were in the skirt lines, with the strict sheath tailoring or extravagant gathering of previous seasons replaced by a subtle combination of flares, pleats, and bias cuts, and in the use of frilling.

The trend for soft, feminine styling was coupled with fragile-locking fabrics. In cotton, this meant voile teamed with heavier satincotton in exactly matching colours and patterns, for dress and coat or jacketdress ensembles. One example seen in last evening’s parade was a cotton-voile dress in forest-green tones, made with a frill-trimmed neckline and a full skirt that was a combination of flares and pleats, starting low on the skirt. The voile achieved the same “floaty” qualities of

chiffon and light nylons, but had more body. Other versions of the softcotton look were in fabrics that could have passed as linens or silks. An eyecatching example ' was a youthful dress with a slim underskirt of heavy cotton that matched its softer “twin”—a very fully gathered skirt on the actual dress. Little change from past seasons was seen in the colour or design of the fabrics, except that florals were more muted, and blendings of pastels and dark shades replaced the clear-cut. vibrant colours. Included in the parade were classic, easy-to-make dresses. copies of Paris originals, and a couturier section of garments from European designers’ recent collections.

The parade was compered by Miss L. Murray, of Melbourne, who said the aim was to show New Zealand women that they could be smartly but inexpensively dressed by making their own clothes.

The garments, shown by five city models, were made up by custom dressmakers in New York.