MILLINERY DEPRESSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 February 1939, Page 10

MILLINERY DEPRESSION

LUTON TURNS TO MOTORS Depression still haunts the millinery trade. It started when girls jaunted small, inexpensive French berets on their heads in place of more expensive headwear (states a London journal). It continued when they til’ed of the berets and wore no hats at all. When the no-hat craze spread from factory girls to typists, to socialites i

to housewives, the industry came almost to a standstill. In London and in Luton, a Bedfordshire town which relies on hat making for its prosperity, i weaker businesses started crashing, 1 Luton had to turn to its new motor-! car factories and heavier industries, when its old industry faltered. | When the milliners started a come; back and launched a campaign with’

the slogan “Every Woman Looks Better in a Hat," another foe stepped in —the weather. The period of the spring season between Easter and Whitsun, although tine, was cold and gusty. Retailers were well stocked with light spring models, but the weather gave them no; chance to sell or re-order. Manufactur- 1 . ers w r ere at a standstill. I'

When sunny weather comes it will' he too late as shops will he ready to, start their “sales.’'’ ■ But in spite of this depression here was one bright spot, one man miking motley, but they said he was he only man in the industry.

He was John I. Collett. At the annual meeting of John Collett, Ltd. profits, after charging all working and management expenses, amounted to £ 19,185. More amazing figure was that >.500,00(1 mass-produced Jacoll hats were sold in a year. 500,000 up on the previous year. John Collett, started a small hat facory in 1918 with 20 hands; his first rntput was around 150.000. compared vith to-day’s figures of 800 employees tnd a 3,500,000 output.