SILKS AND SATINS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 127, 3 June 1929, Page 12

SILKS AND SATINS

TEXTILE EXHIBITION

THE MODERN WOMAN

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDQN, 12th April. There are more than 200 exhibitors at the 21st of a successful series of exhibitions arranged by the Drapery, Textile, and Women's Wear trades. It is, unfortunately, not open to tho general public. Every fabric shown is entirely of British manufacture, and this fact makes the ban even more regrettable, because if the public could have the opportunity to realise the beauty of British fabrics they would not want to buy imported stuffs so long as the home-made would go round. The exhibition was opened by the Lord Mayor of London, who confidently predicted better times for one of Britain's biggest industries—the drapery and textile trade. Two' factors that had helped towards this happy result, it was stated, were the passing of the stay-at-home woman and the arrival of the artist at the. factory. The active woman had more spending power than her stay-at-home sister, „ while the artist was making factory products so attractive that the shopper "simply had to buy them;" The artist was taking the reproach out of the words "mass production." British manufacturers are well represented with silks, taffetas, crepes de chine, gold tissues, and velvets in original designs and colourings, and these, ■as made up by some of tho well-known dress houses which have displays, are admirable in taste. Tailored costumes are also a British feature, and it is stated that these are again coming into favour. While the exhibition is almost exclusively deyotdd to women's wear and shop equipment intended for its display, there is a solitary stand given up to men's shirts. No marked change in fashion is to be noted here, though stripes are no less obtrusive than last year. A new attraction of the exhibition is a daily dress parade, at which mannequins display for an hour each morning some of the latest fashion creations. Seats for the parade may bo reserved for legitimate buyers by giving 24. hours' notice to the management. STOCKINGS AND SPORT. Silk stockings and sports outfits are very prominent features, but this is because the latest frocks and such things as wonderful shawls are hidden behind curtains on stands arranged'as furnished rooms or gardens, and'are: displayed by mannequins as buyers require. A new feature;, among the -stocking displays is. a, combined stocking and tennis sock. This has,an'upper part made of ,silk while the'foot and ankle, are of a :slightly ■thte'ker%;we&ve.';-,'Thp stocking is finished With, a coloured'band round the ankle to convey the suggestion that a sd<sk is worn.' Much attention was directed to beach suits consisting of a bathing costume with a coat'and skirt to match. The' idea is that a girl can walk from her hotel to the beach in what, in appearance is an ordinary dress, although in some examples such designs as; boiled lobsters on the -material suggest a ■ novelty. After reaching -the beach the wearer sheds the jacket and skirt, and is ready for the sea. After the swim she can lie on the sands until the bathing costume is dry, and then resume the other garments before returning to-the hotel. Bathing costumes themselves are apparently to be-gay and boldly patterned this year. Mr. Charles Warren, who presided at the inaugural luncheon, said that . as much time and serious thought were spent in the building of a model frock as Mr. Churclr.ll took in framing his Budget. To-day one had to cater for a new type of woman, one who took an intelligent and active interest in the life of the community. Very few of them, he thought, regretted the passing of the "stay-at-home woman, charming though she undoubtedly was. Activity was the very soul of fashion, and the present-day, active ..woman had a bigger capacity for spending,'in'many cases because she spent what she herself earned. • • . WELL-SPENT MILLIONS. The days were past when a woman's face was.her fortune; to-day it was tho druggist's. (Laughter.) Mr. Philip Snowden the other day remarked that a few .years ago it took, four sheep to ; clothe one woman. Now one silkworm could do it. -(Laughter.) Such, were | some of the changes. Mr. Douglas Hacking, secretary to the Department of I Overseas Trade, had deplored the fact that women spent in this country £12,----000,000 a year on silk-stockings. He hoped they would spend more. (Cheers.) They might all economise on ; clothes, but what a dreadful outlook this would meaii for trade. The world, too, would be a dreary, desert if women gave up wearing silk stockings. They were the romance of our existence, and helped to overcome the ugliness of our streets. (Laughter.) The millions spent on the adornment of. women were not wasted. They were grateful,for the decline of dowdiness, and it was cheap at the price. , Mr. Warren was optimistic .a-bout trade for this year. Things were decidedly better, but there was still a long way to go, and he was afraid many firms were waiting to see what the Government would do for them in the way of safeguarding before they began, to cut out the dead wood of capital, scrap old.machinery, and get up-to-date equipment; Mr. P. A. Best, managing director of. Messrs. Schoolbred and Co., said he had'obtained a favourable impression of the exhibition. The stands were well displayed, and. everything was attractive. The complaint had been made to him, he continued, that retailers did not go enough to the city. He thought a reason for' this could be found in the fact that the places were not made sufficiently attractive, Eetailers did not \ike going into stock rooms, to see new. goods. If conditions of display existed in the city comparable to those of the present exhibition good business might be done all the year round. He suggested that the delightful display of the exhibition should be transferred to the warehouses. ■ , ■- ' '