WOMEN’S FASHIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20708, 4 May 1929, Page 23

WOMEN’S FASHIONS.

INFLUENCE OF NEW SILK WEAR. MADE UP GOODS FROM GERMANY. (From Oue Own Correspondent.) LONDON, March 21. Further witnesses for the - opposition have been heard by the Board of Trade Committee inquiring into the application for tlie safeguarding of wool and worsted textiles industry. The effect of the com; petition of artificial silk wear was one of the points discussed. One witness asserted that German made-up goods were prettier than British. Mr Thomas W. Lovegrove (a member of the firm of T. Lovegrove and Son, textile agents) produced samples of iniported light dress goods. He said that they were comparable with some produced by the applicants. He had been dealing in those materials for a considerable time, and they had been growing in popularity, but it was only recently that he had seen them produced from Bradford. Foreigners usually set the fashion and Bradford followed. Mr Corny ns Carr, K.C. (for the opponents) : Do you find that foreign manufacturers, both with regard to the wool crepes and also the fancy weaves, have been driven into producing that class of goods by competition of silk and artificial goods in the wool trade and knitted goods in fancy weaves?—Yes, I think that artificial silk is so popular because it makes a close and clinging dress. Down to 1023 the main fashion was what was called “tailor-mades”—a coat and skirt. The district best able to cater for that fashion was Yorkshire. What has replaced that?—Frock and coat, lighter altogether. To-day there was a very strong fashion indeed for tweeds. Who gets that trade?—Yorkshire. “ LIVE WIRE " OF OPPOSITION. Mr Cyril Atkinson, K.C. (cross-examin-ing for the applicants): You are the live wire in this opposition?—l should not sav that. - ' In _ reply to other question in crossexamination, Mr Lovegrove said,that his firm were agents for foreign manufacturers._ About 5 per cent, or 10 per cent, of their trade was in Bitish goods, but that was all accounted for by artificial silk. The wool fabrics in which they dealt were foreign. Mr Atkinson: Are the prices of these light dress goods wholly beyond the ability of Yorkshire to compete with? —I should certainly say not. Have you ever taken a single sample to a Bradford firm and asked them it they could copy it?—No. It is not to your interest that Bradford should make them?—Quite. The whole of your interest is to maintain this foreign trade?—Yes. Were you in Paris last week?—Yes. Interviewing foreign manufacturers?—l was interviewing _my principal, certainly, and naturally this subject came up, and we discussed it. . FASHIONS IN CYCLES. In cross-examination Mr Atkinson asked Mr ihomas James Lovegrove, - father of t ie previous witness, if he were suggesting that there was no change in' the nature or character of. the goods imported from Prance to-day as compared with pre-war days. a PM'iod of years,” he replied, _ .There has been a slight variation ot design and colour, but with regard to qualities the wheel of fashion comes round in a cycle of years.” . The character of the imports, you think, is the same?—Yes. The average weight per yard would be lower than it was before the war?—Possibly. It is a question of fashion entirely. “NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN.” Re-examining. Mr Comyns Carr asked Mr Lovegrove: “In detail, does fashion change from year to year? ’’—From’season to season and within the season. We have a saying in the trade that there is nothing new under the sun. Looking at it in a broad way over a period of years, is there really any difference at all? The article never comes back exactly as it was before. There is always some slight variation. And perhaps a new name?—Ybs. FRENCH AND. GERMAN GOODS. E - Maco (a director of Mace and Mutton. Ltd., ladies’ mantle manufacturers, of London) gave evidence as a manufacturer and importer of fashion goods. The coming season’s fashion, he stated, were forecast,-and, to a large extent, decreed by the model houses of Paris. His firm purchased fashion goods from the Continent to assist them in making up their collection. The garments they produced on this side were more or less similar to those of other houses, and the Continental styles helped them to show a larger variety to their customers. Mr Comyps Carr: Are the German made-up goods different in styles to vour own? ‘ , Mr Mace: Yes, they are prettier; there are touches about them that were more dainty. ' Are the German made-up goods any cheaper than yoii could make them yourself? —No, we can copy them at about the same - price. The Germans may he making them 6d cheaper^but as a rule we can copy them at about the same price. There was very little difference between the wages paid in Germany and those paid in this country. Referring to the change of fashions, Mr Comyns Carr asked: “Is it you who make your customers change' their fashion orthey who make you? ” —I think they make us. With regard to a previous statement that women to-day buy garments of less durability than formerly, but much more frequently, the chairman (Sir Hubert Lle-wellyn-Smith) asked Mr Mace: “Then they must lay out a great deal more money on clothes? ” —They do.