NEW FRENCH FABRICS FEATURE WOOLLEN WEAVES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 4, 6 October 1948, Page 5

NEW FRENCH FABRICS FEATURE WOOLLEN WEAVES

Emphasis is on/wool of classic weave and sober colour in the new French fabric collections, designed for autumn and winter, although one or two novelties are featured, says a fashion note received from Paris by the New Zealand Wool Board. Grey from palest pearl to darkest gunmetal predominates for day and evening wear, while the shrubbery shades of green, together with browns ranging from cafe au lait to nigger and including all the light rust and tan shades, are next in line. Pink, duck egg blue, yellow and certain mauves are favourable among the pastels, while reds fall into the blueish raspberry group to include wine shades and purplish tones. Incidentally, some petrel blues are shown while dark flap blue bordering on navy is not uncommon and black holds its own for formal wear. First in the limelight are wool jerseys, some very fine, others solid enough for tailoring, but all of them in a smooth stockirtgette finish. An innovation from Lesur is a metaldotted black wool jersey suitable for blouses and dinner frocks, while from the same house comes another novelty in a wool moire with the watering in a broad design on a coarse ribbed ground. In high favour too are gabardines, some of them proofed, while Rodier features ‘sable cloths’ which have serge foundations and are made from the finest worsted yarns brushed to a smooth flattened fur texture; Although there are . many velour cloths, generally the brushed and velvety woollens have made way for the drier-surfaced blanket cloths, pile cloths and pilot cloths. Broadcloths and face cloths in various weights make fashion news too, especially for formal dresses and evening gowns. Accent is on diagonal weaves, some of which are very fine, while others are frankly ribbed and many appear in two-colour combinations which are specially featured for sportswear. Tailoring cloths come in checks of all kinds with the small houndstooth predominating, although glen checks and overchecks are popular too; white tweed designs inspired by the classics of Scotland and northern Ireland, together with many authentic clan tartans are well to the fore. Pastel woollens for coats and tailor-mades often appear in mottled effects with dark tones- of grey mingling with pink, yellow or turquoise to give a blotched pffect of grey on a pastel ground.