REVOLUTION ON FASHION FRONT

Lake County Mail, Issue 14, 27 August 1947, Page 10

REVOLUTION ON FASHION FRONT

Parisian Dress Designer

From u palatial Louis XIV reception room on Paris’s tree-lined Avenue Montaigne, the new “ king of fashion,” 40-year-old Christian Dior, is revolutionising femihine dress —-and running into hot water at the same time. Reports from Now York that American women are rebelling against the new low hemline which lie has just introduced, fall in line with the excited protests of women of numerous other countries. Dior’s showing at the recent spring collections in Paris were one long surprise for the international buyers and elegant women present, as thin, tall models trod his plush carpets exhibiting the new line. , • "But besides being a designer of considerable ability, Dior is also a psychologist, “ Few women have attractive legs,” he explained to this reporter during his showing, “and you must remember, too, that fashion houses v/il! follow my low tine because of the extra charge they obtain.” Dior has graduated into the world of fashion after years of study at tin Sorbonne in political science, rounded, off by a trip to Russia intended to fit him for life as an architect. In 19.‘5ip he began working for the newspaper “ Figaro ” as a dress designer. moving later to the famous “ otablissrnent ” of Robert P'lguet. After the German occupation lie resumed designing with Lucien Long, another leading fashion house in Paris.

But by September of last year he was looking for iiis independence. He found it at Longchamps, the racecourse near Paris. M. Maurice Boussac, owner of a string of first-class thoroughbreds, backed Dior and his new ideas with as much enthusiasm as he backs his own horses. Although Dior has had only one showing, he is confident he is now in the business to stay. And rival houses, which at first bucked at his ideas, are being forced to take notice.