WOOL FASHIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21156, 4 July 1940, Page 4

WOOL FASHIONS

IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY GREAT VARIETY OF FABRICS There was a large and appreciative audience at the Bledisloe Hall, last night, when the New Zealand Wool ! Council and the National Patriotic Council presented a very fine wool i fashion display in aid of patriotic l funds. The demonstration illustrated ! effectively the suitability and value of wool for widely-varied purposes, i The garments were all 100 per cent ! pure wool, finished as sheer as silk j with an amazing variety of colours, I and featured creations by famous j houses such as Schiaparelli, Digby 1 Morton, Lydia Moss, Mauna Katourya, Motley and Simpson of Piccadilly. There were also some outstanding designs of Madame Elsie Rodger, of Wellington. Shown to advantage by three beautiful mannequins, the wide range of fashions created a marked impression on the audience. Mrs Ina Allan, who was in charge of the display, was an excellent commentator, her fluent exposition proving very entertaining. Her descriptions of the various modes were very vivid. Mrs Allan delighted her audience with a musical monologue during the display, and in between scenes gave a series of jokes about imaginary radio characters, “Mrs Tggins and her neighbour.” Smart Sports Wear The parade commenced with a splendid array featuring, among many models, a grey flannel housecoat made with unpressed pleats and swathed with club colours, a sports suit of blue shorts and cream woollen blouse, a rose pink negligee of all- wool tweed worn, over an all wool tailored nightdress, a brown and white plaid housecoat, patchwork shorts (the very latest in smartness), a cream wool cruise suit fashioned with a box jacket and worn over a blue jumper and with a jaunty beret, and a pastel pink negligee over a lovely blue nightgown. A spectator sports frock and a green sports frock with its matching turban was much admired and an outstanding exhibit was a Dak’s suit by Simpson, of Piccadilly. In the following section there was a wide variety of models, including morning suits in navy angora and in red maize and black checks worn with a red woollen turban and scarf, a tan worsted coat, its scarf and hat being of vivid emerald, and afternoon ensembles, one of which showed an off-white coat over a pin-spot black and white wool voile frock. These were followed by frocks of haze blue, a grey braided suit with its accompanying scarlet woollen hat, j a dungaree suit and a charming set |of nightdress, pyjamas and house- ! coat in a new material called wool j taffeta. Cocktail frocks, cut on both severe and simple lines in Paisley, blues, cerise and yellow were exhibited, one in particular having 24 different colours in its design and being worn with a quaint wool felt bonnet. Gorgeous cloaks there were in many materials and colours, each one seeming a little more beautiful than its predecessor, and the suitability and loveliness of wool for evening frocks was amply illustrated in the variety of these models on show. A highlight was a striking ! dove grey and pink model by Schiaparelli, while a turquoise evening coat and a bright multi-coloured evening gown was noteworthy for its daring combination of colours. | Evening Cloaks From H. & J. Courts | Mrs Allan had pleasure in anI nounping the wearing, of a beautiful i cerise evening cloak and checked | evening wrap by the mannequins, i from the showroom of H. 5c J. j Court, these woollen evening clothes ! being the first she had yet discovj ered in any shop in New Zealand j during her tour of the Dominion. | The concluding item of the fashion 1 show was a charming bridal tableau, the bride wearing a graceful gown of tine wool lace, a new note in headdress, and cerise gloves and flowers. Her bridesmaids were in old world frocks of brightly patterned wool, which closely resembled the rich texture of velvet. In thanking all who had helped with the exhibition, Mrs Allan spoke of the necessity of New Zealand becoming “wool-minded” as with the gradual increase of synthetic fabrics, “wool” now being manu- , factured from coal, etc., the wool in- : dustry was threatened. She urged 1 women to use the woollen materials : on sale in the local shops for the j fashioning of garments such as those shown, and to test the comfort, durability and loveliness of wool for all occasions. Orchestral music, under the baton of Mr Whitehead, was rendered at intervals during the fashion parade, i and dancing by the pupils of Miss i Ailsa Docherty was given between the various sections. The fashion show will be staged again tonight.