Paris Prepares For The Spring

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 122, 13 August 1927, Page 20

Paris Prepares For The Spring

TUCKS—PLEA TS—AND SNAKESKIN! WHEREVER one goes at the moment in Paris the talk is of dress. Possibly a friend up from Cannes wants to know on what lines the newest styles are going. Possibly another friend on her way to Biarritz wants just another sports suit. Possibly it is a party of American buyers at the next table in the newest dance place who assure one another that “there isn't anything to lose your mind about at X 's show this year,” or that the sumptuous evening gowns at Y 's are “cute,” a strange adjective for the remembered magnificence of* the lovely garments, writes a fashion correspondent. Possibly the talk may be among Englishwomen who tell of the heat at A 's parade, where they envied a sensible onlooker who took out her smelling salts; or at B 's, where a spectator had to be brought a glass of waetr; or at C 's, where there was an agitated moment when a specially daring individual had opened a window—but only for a moment. Then the window was inexorably closed. I have never seen a thermometer hanging in the superheated rooms. If there were one, its reading would be interesting.

TUCKS ON FUR r are to be seen on a very host of materials, even fur. On the skirt of a gorgeous coat of cream shaved lamb Wor.th has arranged lour tucks in oblique fashion. Tucks, too, are seen elsewhere ornamenting leather coats, and stripes of angora in one colour are arranged on wool stockinette of another shade to subgest tucks. In the hands of clever dressmakers tucks can have very slimming effect, especially when arranged vertically and obliquely. And a slim effect is, as ever, “a consummation devoutly to be wished,” no matter how it is achieved —dieting, rolling exercises, or, the far, far better way, the art of the couturier. In the interesting brochure which is given with the programme of the collection at his parade, Lucien Lelong amusingly remarks that “modern woman has become the architect of her own figure.” and goes on to explain why he believes “the slender figure will be a la mode for years to come.” His aim, therefore, has been to design dresses which give an effect of slimness when being worn in motion, and that are optically slim. So he calls them kinoptic. Some of his evening frocks are pf satin unembroidered, and depending for their trimming on drapery and a paste buckle, as is the case of a charming pinky-beige frock. A novelty which ornamented a black chilfon dance dress, as well as some day frock's, consisted of leaves crocheted in heavy silk —black in case of the evening dress- —and they were pendent, fringe fashion, by the ‘stalk.” TWENTY-ONE TYPES OF PLEAT The newer mode for gathers, or a cascading godet. in skirts has by no means ousted pleats. I counted the particular types shown in one shop window. There were 21, some including circles of shading stamped on after the pleating was done. Even so, that number did not include the newest and best-looking type. This is arranged like a succession of narrow piping cords. When at a recent parade a mannequin wore a honey-coloured crepe gown pleated in this way. a little ripple went over it as she walked, bringing to mind the gentle wave a zephyr brings over a patch of growing barley THE WINE-LIST WITH SNAKESKIN TRIMMINGS! The pitch of popularity which snakeskin has reached can be judged by the fact that when the carte-des-vins was handed to ray host of one restaurant, I noticed it was bound in nigger-brown morocco with triangular pieces of python at each corner. Snake-skin shoes are commonplace, but newer and often very atraetive are shoes made of nigger-brown kid and grey lizard, or tie-up models in nude kid with vamps of python. Navy blue kid and python may make a success later in the year on account of the immense popularity of blue in dress, but at the moment some of them look a little spectacular, possibly because the navy kid is rather bright. FOR THE SPORTS GIRL

The ardent lawn-tennis girl cannot fail to be interested in the new hiplength coats intended to be donned between sets. Printed silk in pink, blue, and black on a white background may form one side of a reversible coatee, the other side of which is cream. Jean Patou is showing them in his collection of some 400 models which are rich—indeed, lavish to overflowing—in ideas, and the sports department of which is so important and famed that the morning session is given to showing it’alone. THE SAME MODEL SHOWN IN FOUR COLOURS Another of his good ideas is to show the same model at the same time in different colours—two, three, or as many as four mannequins coming on the floor together in the same model in pink, mauve, yellow, and possibly blue. Or the same model will be shown on a slight and a fuller figure* to prove that it is equally suitable for both. A PICTURESQUE EFFECT That picturesque fashion, the kerchief, M. Patou still retains—it deserves to be retained. Thus on the model “No Card,” a cerise-red crepe de chine frock with skirt finely pleated, the back of the bodice finely tucked, and the tucks changing at the front triangular fashion into pleats, a kerchief of cerise-red is arranged at the neck, in white it has playing cards prnted in appropriate colours, and in “life” size, on two corners. The black patent leather belt has for buckle two correctly painted ‘cards’ ’in ivory or white bone. BLACK FOR EVENING FROCKS Black is coming back again for evening wear, and a woman in our party at the Ritz recently admired mosi among the dresses on the dance fiooi a frock in black georgette which was fairly short in the skirt except for a big sweeping godet piece at the left side that almost touched the- slipper of the wearer and that fluttered behind very prettily as she danced. SOME EFFECTIVE EXAMPLES Beer, in the Place Vendome, has favoured black for evening frocks, this season, or black allied with white, silver or palest pink. There is a black georgette with a bodice of flesh-pink

chiffon, over which go bretelles of black jet. The skirt is full in front and round the hem has a border of the jet. A black taffeta has a hem of green net with masses of encrusted embroidery, made of narrow silver gauze ribbon, where the black and, green join. Another model in black, embroidered with diamante, has a great shoulder knot of poppies with the le-aves appliqued on to the corsage. A model that was recalled by two or three onlookers was a simply cut little gown in black georgette with three gold spots printed on it at intervals. EXQUISITE COLOURS Apart from the models in black, however, Beer uses some gorgeous, entrancing colours a burgundy-red shade looking like wine with the sunlight through it, the blue of the forget-me-not, the gentian and the periwinkle, the grey of a dove’s breast, or the daring—though quite successful —union of sage-green and apricot, or of a peachdyed fox hem on a grass-green velvet coat. Several of his evening coats, by the way, have a long scarf collar, AN AFTERNOON PARTY Mrs. W. IT. Parkes entertained a number of guests at her residence, “Marinoto,” Symonds Street, on Thursday afternoon. During the afternoon songs were given by Mrs. Bernard Wood, of Christchurch, and Miss Eileen Parkes, a charming duct by Airs. Parkes and Miss Parkes, and a piano solo by Miss Cherry Anderson. The dining room was attractively decorated with spring flowers, and tea was served there. Mrs. Parker’s guests included: Lady Lockhart, Mrs. Thorne George, Mrs. B. B. Wood. Mrs. Anthony Carr, Airs. Horton. Airs. IT. Horton. Mrs. Ewen, Mrs. Macintosh, Airs. A. Clark, Airs. Fred. Wilson. Mrs. Talbot, Airs. Leonard, Airs. Rose. Mrs. Newcombe, Airs. Hugo Friedlander, Airs. P. Crisp, Airs. Alarler, Airs. Roberton, Airs. Gordon, Airs. J. Roberton. Mrs. Gibberd, Airs. Derrick, Mrs. Somerville. Airs. Waltop, Airs. Friedlander, jun., Airs. Nolan, Airs. Humphrey llain, Airs. J. D. Campbell, Airs. Devore, Mrs. Furby, Airs. Gordon, Mrs. Savage. Aliss Coates, Aliss Mowbray, Aliss Horton, Aliss J. Alarray, Aliss C. Murray, Aliss Cherry Anderson, Aliss Russell. Aliss F. Alurray, and the Alisses Peacocke.