WOMEN AS WINDOW DRESSERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 829, 30 May 1910, Page 3

WOMEN AS WINDOW DRESSERS.

A novel training college,'the. outcome of the greater artistic, demands of modern life, ;is being inaugurated in the German capital, which in the course of time should open up pleasant careers for a large number of women, says the "Queen." . The Union of Berlin Shopkeepers, in co-operation with the German Union for Commercial Education, has decided to found a college or high school for window-dressing. . As head of the new foundation; Frau Else Opplerlegband has been appointed, assisted by a staff of teachers skilled in the applied arts. The impetus to this movement was given in the autumn of last year by a competition in window decorations, which was started by a leading journal, primarily for purposes of advertisement, aha which turned out a great popular and artistic success.

The art of decorating • shop windows, as. it is practised . to-day, is by no means an. old one, and it is therefore not surprising that so-far there exists no recognised system for training window dressers. There .do exist a few private academies for tho purpose 'of training pupils,-.but'on-the whole it is left to chance whethei one of-the salesmen or saleswomen shows sufficient aptitude and inclination to be. promoted to the post of window dresser. The present system; of course, has the advantage that only those who have a natural bent for' it turn to it as a profession. On the other band, it is quite obvious, from a casual glance at tho windows,' that most of these decorators are sadly deficient in artistic taste. Thus it has'happened that several women with artistic tendencies and systematic training have been brought to the front. Whilst a woman has the advantage generally of an inborn dclicatc sense for colours, she is frequently deficient in other matters which have to be supplied bv education' The decorator's art demands, for instance, a comprehensive knowledge of architecture, more especially in the ca«c of decorating interiors. At any rate, so far women have been preeminently successful in this comparatively new sphere of activity. One of the leading pioneers of the movement is Frau Else Oppler-Legband, for manv year* one of the principal designers ol' the largo firm of A. Wertheini, in Bcrlirf. Darin* the past six years the huge windows of this firm, have been under tho artistic care of Fraulein von Halin. A second important firm has cocured the decorative advice of Fran Anna Jluthesius.

The «£1 -Is. reward offered by the proprietor of Shaw's 1/eath to Eats for the most suitable name has been awarded to Air. Baker, of the Hotel Columbia, who sends in the word "Shawtwork," wV.ieh will not be very agreeable to Hie nest, as it clears the house in. one night. This 5 l.jparation is "i-lld ill buttles at Is. Od., mid is obtainable only from Frank Shaw, Consul I in<: and Practical fcitn, Medical lint],. Manners"-® licet, and tli-i Cecil fiuildii.ii, I.amhton Quay.— f.uvi.