PARIS EXHIBITION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22850, 4 October 1937, Page 5

PARIS EXHIBITION

BEAUTY AND ORIGINALITY UNUSUAL USE OF MURALS THE DRESS DESIGNERS* SHOW (BY BARBARA) LONDON. Sept. 8 During the last three days I have thrown a penny from the top of tho Eiffel Tower, sipped coffee in the Rue Royale, a Pernod in Montparnasse and vermouth cassis in the Champs Elysees. I have visted a dozen countries, have followed the evolution of French art from the 10th century A.D. to tho present day and have looked into the eyes of the Mona Lisa—in other words I have been to Paris and the Exhibition.

In London we had heard tales of how unfinished the Exhibition was, and how disappointing the British pavilion, so I had gone expecting little. The actuality exceeded my wildest dreams. Arriving on one of those gay, high flying days that ruffle the usually serene Seine, I found a river strung with gleaming pavilions—high, wide and handsome—girt about with tossing trees, flags that lifted in a heady breeze, and flower-banked restaurants, their painted tables and striped awnings shining in the sun. At night it was still more beautiful. The darkness seemed to weld the whole in one. The great central square was filled with illumined fountains. At one end magnificent sweeping terraces mounted by curved walls to a column of peace high above the fountains. At the other end, the square lengthened to form a bridge, which crossed the river under the base of the dominant Eiffel Tower.

From a Viennese cafe high on one side of the square I watched the purple spume of the playing fountains and their firework counterparts filling tho dark sky round the Eiffel Tower with coloured stars. Floodlit trees showed brilliant emerald and black against the creamy pavilions. Plate glass reflected fireworks and fountains, and flags of all nations formed fluttering sentinel lines down either side of the square. One of the most interesting features of the Exhibition is the use of murals—both painted and photographic. They form part of the buildings themselves, being used on the outside walls as well as the inside. In the British pavilion, John Hutton, a young New Zealander,

has a most successful wall-painting illustrating the similarity of agricultural implements and natural forms. An unusual mural treatment is used on the outside of the Food Pavilion. •

In the Pavilion d'Elegance, all the leading couturiers, parfumiers and furriers are represented. Against pink stucco walls, pale pink clay mannequins, plastically modelled, show off the models. Each designer has a separate alcove. Nearly all have elected to show evening gowns and coats of a more outre type than they usually advise for actual wear. Most interesting, I found the draped frocks. Of course they particularly lent themselves to display purposes. Alix had made the most of her walking mannequin, swathing it in flesh-pink silk jersey and trailing a scarf from one shoulder. SVorth used exquisite cross drapery across the hips of a silk jersey gown in his own violet blue colour. Vionnet again swathes white crepe from one shoulder across the bust, draws the material smoothly over the hips and arranges it in draped folds across the knees. Maggy Rouff combines two colours in her copiously_ draped chiffon gowns—deep violet with blue, and pink with plum. Chanel and Lelong stress the use of ribbon, making enormous sashes of it on their tulle, lace i and organza dance frocks, all of which have wide crinoline skirts. Two unusual coats are sponsored by Vionnet and Patou. Vionnet uses stiff white satin, lacquers it, and cuts it in great curls like an outsize paper d'oyley. She drapes the bodice close to tho figure and stands the skirt out bellliko with tho rigidity of a statue. Patou treats white cotton in the same manner in his ostrich feather coat. Here the cotton is cut like curled plumes which grow larger as the skirt reaches tho floor to sweep in a wide circle. Lucile Paray, Schiaparelli and Patou use printed crepes and chiffons, and Lanvin embroiders her white organza and black velvet with metal threads in elegant curving patterns, Mojyneux shows his own sophisticated kind of drni>ery in a gown of silver la mo. Worth emphasises the gaiety of a tremendously full purple organza frock by edging its hern with terra-cotta ruffles. The accessories were among the most attractive exhibits. Here one saw handbags of black suede quilted in elephant design, their handles made of carved ivory in the shape of howdahs. Bags witn yachts quilted on them boasted pennant handles. A gold key opened a bag with a large keyhole embossed on its side. Black suede bags were patterned with gold charms in the shapes of Paris monuments and there were all sorts of Exhibition scarves and handkerchiefs —some with maps of the Exhibition itself 'painted in gay colours on them, others with printed 'messages relating to the Exhibition, and still others with scattered symbols representing the various pavilions.