MODELS OF THE GREAT WORLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19798, 19 November 1927, Page 6 (Supplement)

MODELS OF THE GREAT WORLD

EXOTIC DRESS PARADES.

FANS AND NEW FURS*

[SPECIAL TO N.Z. HERALD. — LONDON. OCT. 9.

After attending innumerable dress parades, and absorbing clothes incessantly for two or three weeks, one is apt to bo thoughtful on the subject of clothing the female form divine.

These big dressmaking establishments are such hives of industry, and tho launching of a new fashion is as important to them as the discovering of America was to Christopher Columbus. The only conversation one hears is on line and colour, or the texture of a new material. Perchance, a now blend of perfumo has been discovered or a more discreet shade of rouge, but ono never wanders far from the subject of the serious business of adorning the modern Evo.

Much caro and thought is expended on the arranging of these dress parades, and at ono famous house the model throne was draped in silver tissue and mirrors, and here the lovely mannequin stood poised for a moment —turning this way and that—and then tripped daintily down tho sloping black and silver carpeted runaway, <ind drifted out among the guests as another beautiful girl appeared on tho throne.

Ono is apt to feel a modest Cinderella among so much magnificence, but while some of tho gowns are exotically beautiful, it is comforting' to find many practical frocks in the collection.

After seeing many frilly picturo frocks, 1 was charmed with two simple evening dresses —one of wlnte georgette crepo and rhinestono embroidery draped after tho fashion of tho Ancient Greeks and which had such lovely lines that I mado a sketch of it for you. Tho other was in midnight blue crepe simply draped with an uneven squarecut neck. Ono shoulder had a long embroidered design of rhinestones, and the opposito hip was decorated in tho samo manner, and the crepo depended from each ornament in a graceful cascade. With this sho carried an enormous white feather fan.

Fans wero featured with all tho evening dresses at this particular show, and I was also glad to note that nearly every out-door coat or suit had its own special buttonhole, generally a cluster of very small or medium-sized blooms. The suits favoured clusters of gardenias (three or even five blooms being used) and natural and white violets. Tho fur coats had clusters of chiffon flowers and favoured tho tawny shading of the nasturtium and deep coral shades of pink. Furs grow lovelier every season—small wonder that woman loses all sense of proportion when buying furs and endeavours to smother up her extravagance bv assuring herself and incidentally her husband, if sho has one, that, good furs are an investment.

The trouble is now that every season tho furriers spring some new surprise in the way of blending or dressing skins, so that fur coats aro nearly as easily dated as any others. Of course, sable is still the king of all furs—but alas, it is only for tho few! This fact was brought home to many when we were shown a coat of perfectly matched sable skins, price 6000 guineas. There was an audible gasp among even the sophisticated crowd that view these displays. The designer consoled us by saying that it was already sold, and was sailing for the land of the dollar at the end of the week. The next best of this type of fnr is mink. This has become so popular of late years that its price has soared correspondingly Among the " new skins is " pressed " lamb. This sounds rather like a cold meat", but is, in reality, the skin of the newborn lamb "treated to give it a design, and the result on the silky pelt is like stamped velvet. A lovely coat of this skin had a long roll collar and tuffs shaped to the elbow of lynx, the whole being in a pale biscuit shade.

A tailored coat of fine beige cloth had a collar and deep facings, all down the front of the new zebra skin. This, again, has been made so supple that it is handled like an ordinary material. Many of the two-piece ensembles, where {lie bodice is light and the skirt dark, have this contrasting note repeated in the lining of the coat. lam sending vou a sketch of one I particularly liked. It was made in pink crepo and black kasha, and would look equally well in pink and black crcpe. Note the arrangement of the frills, the novel opening of the blonso and collarless coat.