ITALIAN DRESS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 May 1927, Page 10

ITALIAN DRESS

MUSSOLINI’S REFORM EFFORTS

An interesting story lies behind the report recently published that Mussolini was seeking to institute a reform in women's dress. In the dim bygones, several towns ol Italy had a prominent place in the world of women’s fashions. Mantua, Venice, Genoa, to say nothing of Florence and Rome, were once able to issue fashion decrees even to France and Germany. Many beauties at foreign courts imitated the Italian ladies in the style of velvet corsages and the exact line of lace “jabots.” The brocades patiently wrought by skilful Italian hands, were world-famous too. Probably visions of those exquisite garments worn of old, crossed Mussolini’s mind more than once. All the more so since there lives a. genius in Florence who has literally given herself up to the revival of ancient Italian fashions. She has secured the old secret of stamping gold designs on chiffon velvet, crepe de chine and georgette, and women of all nationalities flock to her salons in Rome and Florence.

The Duce went- to that famous designer. Naturally, nothing he doe,3 ever remains unknown to the public. The report spread that Mussolini was trying to carry through a reform in women’s dress. The writer made it her business to ascertain the true fa,cis. Was it true that the women of Italy were to have no more freedom in the choosing of their clothes? Were they all to dress uniformly, and what was the uniform to be? My friend from whom authoritive information

was sought laughed ’ the questions away. “Yes, Mussolini did go to Madame —mentioning the famous designer by name, “and he did consult her about the advisability of urging the Italian women to adopt some kind of a national costume. But, my dear, Madame is a woman to her finger-tips. She is wise in her trade, too. She just, told the Duce that the scheme was utterly impossible, and Mussolini never again referred to the idea. She told him that he might go o changing tiie laws of the whole nation, but ‘never the heart of a single woman.’ He was wise enough to see that she was right.’’ r-b- z " -