FEMINISM AND FASHION OF PARIS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1491, 13 July 1912, Page 11

FEMINISM AND FASHION OF PARIS.

A FORETASTE OF A GREAT LONDON SHOW. It has been like a glimpse of Fairyland, this vista of the coining exhibition of dresses from' Pnris organised by Redfern, to be opened at.the White City, London. Like a second Asmodeus, I have lifted the roots of the workrooms of our most celebrated dressmakers in the Rue do la Pair and its neighbourhood, end am still dazzled by the wonders I 'have seen. Coming, as it does, in tho height of the season, this exhibition has been planned with tho idea of covering every moment of tho day whore dress pliiye a part. On prettily-grouped wax figures there will be a collection of evening gowns ami lace and lingerie dresses for garden parties ' that has never been surpassed. It may well be-said that the Paris couturiers are giving themselves troublo to show the English ladies who appreciate the arb of combining .and draping laces and jewelled tulle, painted mousselino de soie and silver brocades that there arc masters to-day in this branch of art, as there were in the eighteenth century in the art of painting. In fact, it mar without hesitation be said that the manifestations of art to-day in France are more' strongly felt in dress than in. either painting, • sculpture, literature or music. I shbuld like to give some faint idea of all 1 have seen,' but no word painting of mine can ever do justice to the work. With the signatures of Worth, Paquin, Callot, Buzenet,- Cheruit.'Doeuilett, Eliso Poret, Jenny, Zi-mmermann, and Eedfern we have, the oream of the Paris dressmakers; but in the midst of 6o much splendour,/ so much taste, it is no easy task to" select a few of the dresses to, describe in a short article. / I was, I think,' most impressed by e. white brocaded silver evening gown, with a long sweeping double train and a low pauier effect in, white tuile embroidered with sdmili diamonds, the low bodice, a dream of loveliness, with |its square mass of scintillating stones upon a cloud of white tulle, signed Buzenet. And another by the same master, inspired no doubt by the colourings in "Helen of Sparta ,, and the Russian ballets, in the new "coq de roche"- mpusscline de soie,-of a rich copper-, hue painted with, big 'Egyptianlooking, birds in yellow, brown, and red, with strong touches of blue, over an entire dress of fine white lace. Nothing more beautiful can be imagined thdn. the painted bird across the bust from shoulder to waist on the small low-cut bodice, nor the effect of the shades of mousseline de soie in. the'-panier drapery ending upon the train ■•with, another of these brilliantly painted birds. Really, Buzenet is in a great creative mood. . Worth, exhibits'an exquisite dress in the style for ■' which- he is famous, in a magnificently .■blended brocade, in the palest of pink arid "gold, and a marvel:of elegance in ,a; black and white lace gown for a garden' party. ' : . -; ' In opposition 'to the dignity of these gowns is one.of the most delightful of evening dresses, that one can only imagine worn by a'"very young and pretty woman. Madame Jenny is the little fairy who' has designed and executed it, an : artist who,is rising to great heights. Picture pale green, pleated mousseline, de soie over "pale'.rose, with two flounces in Halines most delicately embroidered with crystals "and pearls..,with medaillons in the purest Louis XVI upon the?e embroidered flounces worked with small blue and TrainoX roses in beads and silks. These 'flounces form a kind of short tunic, upon the pleated mousseline de soie,'and the; same-lace, continuing upon the bodice i.n .exquisite little sleeves, is'partlv- ; hic(deft'at:tlie decolletage by'a bertha' in the same embroideries of flowers in medallions. This dress is a gem. Madame Jqnny: has the art of "dressing young," as.-they say in France. - I am surrounded by pretty things,- and scarcely know" which to attempt to de-. scribe. At Elise Poret's I find tho lingerie dress'-in' its finest expression, in a delightful combination of embroidered : tulle and lace that has made this house celebrated. Hero also is a charming toilette composed of - flounces of pleated lace :iind.' net over... Nattier .blue,, the slower iflouncei slightly" raised with" a" bunch- of crimson roses, the ,same touch of colour at the waist holding one end of the graceful fichu. Here, again, I saw an ovening dress of lcttxice green satin,- with.a long square train.and filmy draperies of blue-tinted' laoe, an exquisite combination. The Parisian "flou" is her eneciality. But I must be excused if I cannot enter into more details of the wonderful show that will be exhibited shortly in London; this will be enousrh to eive a foretaste of the beautiful things that are to cross the Channel.