IN CHIFFON-LAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12402, 16 January 1901, Page 10

IN CHIFFON-LAND.

151.A.P.) Nothing Is more interesting than! the leisurely. exploration of what may be called Paris-Chiffon—a region bounded by the Boulevard Haussmann, the Rue do Richelieu, the Rue de Rivoli and the Rue Royal e, an, irregular square of which the central point is the famous Rue de la Paix. Quickly the visitor realises the immense extent of this Industrie de luxe, in which all the arts, all the sciences, and all the talents are brought into play. Veritable palaces in construction and furnishing are the principal establishments devoted to tfie adornment and beautification of her Majesty the Woman. One obtains a perfect sumptuary education by visiting the world-renowned houses of such famous men as Worth, Roufi, Paquin, Laferriere, Redfem, Raudnitz, Carlier and Blance Lebouvier. There axe several employing 450 people—from the principal saleswoman to the poor little “ associate,” whose mission it is to hold the pins for the artist who fits on. A really Smart saleswoman mil earn as much as £BOO a year, besides presents from generous clients who have triumphed by reason of her perfect taste and discreet recommendations.

The ideal saleswoman is one who, by her flattering, hypnotic arts, transforms an idle lady who comes “merely to look round” into a customer, who only leaves after making an expensive purchase. These commercial diplomatists exist in Paris. Who can wonder that a couturier should many such a pearl when he has the good fortune to discover it in his salons? He fully recognises the sum of intelligences diplomacy, tact and judgment required to perform 'this" apparently simple feat. The Vendeuse must be expert in taking her client’s mental and financial measure. She must dominate her by sheer force of will power. Whilst she is apparently intent on discovering the most appropriate merchandise for her client’s bewitchingly beautiful face and figure, she is in reality performing an. anthropometric operation destined to safeguard her patron’s interests. Familiar with the records of that feminine Parisian world which defiles through her salons, she must know how to humour and flatter the grande dame, whose patronage constitutes a Valuable brevet in itself, and to capture the confidence and good graces of the wealthy parvenue whose name and figure throw no lustre on the house, but whose cheques are promptly forthcoming. She must be acquainted with those hidden springs of jealousy, rivalry, and vanity which inspire the actions of those spoilt capricious, feather-brained women who set the standard of value. For the value of an article in the eyes of careless, wealthy women, who never trouble about the necuniary aspect of their caprices, is not determined by its intrinsic utility or creative cost. It depends, rather, on the satisfaction it affords her pride, vanity, hatred, or spite. What a price a furiously jealous woman would pay for a costume so gorgeous that it would absolutely guarantee the annihilation of some beautiful, triumphant rival, who. has just captivated some favoured suitor whom the jealous creature in question thought she had definitely sublimated! The Parisiennes are, after all, the best customers for everything within the domain of dress and chiffons. They, or rather their husbands or friends, are always ready to pay exorbitant prices for the new, the bizarre, the startling in costumes, novelties and underclothing. The leaders of fashion, the wives of wealthy financiers, the spoilt, extravagant princesses of the stage, pay prices which would stagger the majority of the richest husbands in London. Liane de Pougy, Cleo de Merode, Mademoiselle Marsy, la Comtesse de Castellane, the Duchess d’Uzes, these, and many other ladies belonging to very different worlds in the gay city, meet on common ground in their passion for the things in chiffons. They ore the women who pay £2OO for a dress, £4O for a silk petticoat, £IOO for an opera cloak, £2O for a robe de nuit, £5 a pair of stockings, £2O for a corset. Their other furbelows, dainty, mysterious, aweinspiring, are paid in proportion. There axe a number of Parisiennes whose rare beauty demands £6OOO or £BOOO, and even £IO,OOO per annum for its adornment and conservation against the outrages of the arch-enemy; Time! These prices suggest the possibility of colossal profits. Yet few houses make more than 15 per cent profit net. In certain cases it is only 8 per cent: probably the average throughout the industry would be 10 p'er cent. But yet splendid fortunes are made yearly, there being houses whose turnover averages 5,000,000 francs. Several have a turnover of 3,000,000 francs. Half-a-dozen dressmakers live in royal style, enjoying all the pleasures indulged! in by the grands seigneurs, whose* wives they have the privilege of dressing. One owns, in the heart of fashionable Paris, a palace, in which the Louis XV. style is reproduced in all its voluptuous details. Madame de Pompadour, if she could're-visit Paris, would desire no daintier residence. Kings and Queens have visited and admired this palace, and regarded its owner with genuine envy. It may he remarked that the actual labour involved in the making of a £l2O dress after it leaves the cutter’s hands seldom exceeds £2. But, it may be asked, where does the rest of the money go. In the first place, quite £2O must be allocated to the chief for his originative genius, his administrative talent, aij,d the maintenance of .himself and family.

Then before his aristocratic clients can come in to give their orders he must nro-

vide an expensive establishment luxuriously fitted and furnished in the heart of fashionable Paris. He must surround himself with an equally expensive staff, composed of men and women who, by their svlavity of manner, business experience, talent and tact, are competent to satisfy and even delight the most capricious, frivolous, irresolute, “finical” creatures in. the world. These items would absorb another £3O. Interest on capital and on money outstanding would represent another £B. Considering that bad debts in these smart establishments are offioialljr declared to amount to 12 per cent of the annual turnover, about £l4 must be allowed for that eventuality. Adding £2B for the material, the total cost would be £lO2, leaving 15 per cent, or £lB profit!