The Omaha Sunday Bee Magazine Page
Tasi
Suit of Kahki American
Made Tussore, Lined with
American - Made Silk... ,
(Designed by Lady Duff :
Cordon.)
loiprroin
T W t S T I
American-made Blue Gaberdine
American Satin. (Designed by
Lady Duff Gordon.)
By Lady Duff-Gordon
I HAVE been told, and I have al
ways thought, that Americans
were the most patriotic people
In the world. I am beginning now
to doubt it
For surely the essence of patriot
ism la to patronize, encourage and
develop the industries and products
of one's own country. Where such
Industries and products are Inferior
to those of other countries It may be
a test of patriotism to turn our faces
against the latter. Nor would I ad
Vise that, because In such a case it
would be the duty of one's own
countrymen to reach and exceed if
possible the superior foreign stand
ard. The standard would be put
against them as a test and the in
Jury done them by their own pepole
buying the better goods would only
be a lesson to them to make goods
as excellent.
But what can we say of the con
dition of mind that turns away from
most excellent domestic products to
bay foreign made similar products
that are not a whit better than those
rejected? . To me this seems not
only an inexplicable lack of patriot
Ism, but It la, potentially at least,
treason.
; I bare In mind particularly the
American made silks," which are so
good that yon can stand up and light
the world anywhere with them. And
yet' these exquisite things must rest
.more or less unnoticed in the shade,
Ull because of the absurd worship of
'the "Imported." That is to me, one
Jot the most puzzling things about
America. When I came to this coun
try last Fall, I became interested in
.these silks. Their manufacturers
and others asked me if I would not
star and make an exhibition of dress
models made from their goods. The
Idea so appealed to me that I con
sented, and I have Just had a most
successful exhibition of models made
entirely of American silks and
woolens. Each of these models
there were forty of them were built
entirely of American made goods,
and sewed by American girls right
hers In New York. I desire to say
that I have never made models that
have pleased me more.
I did it to prove that I believed in
what 1 said, and to help the "made
la America" movement by showing
Just what could be done with these
fabrics. I am preparing an entirely
rpecial new collection to show to se
ected dressmakers throughout the
country. I am doing it to prove to
the dressmakers that they need no
longer bow to this idol of the "im
ported," but that they faave right
Suit Trimmed with Black
here at hand everything they need
for the most exquisite dresses.
After I have done that I cannot really
be expected to do more.
For myself, and to show Just what
faith I have' in your American made
goods, I desire to say that I am
prouder of this exhibition than any I
have ever done, and so beautiful do I
consider the Bilks that I am staying
right here and creating my own ex
clusive models for Paris and London
right down at my studio on Fifth
avenuo among the glorious sky
scrapers. I think you'll agree with me that
it is the first time in fashion history
that fashions have been created and
made In America, of American roods
and sewed by American hands to be
exhibited in Paris, hitherto the
"Mecca" of th dressmaking world. I
think it shows the quality of my faith,
donl youT But when a thing is
"the best," it is bound in the end to
make itself felt, notwithstanding the
deadly wall of prejudiced "importers"
whose Interest it is to say American
silks can in no way equal those of
Lyons manufacture. The one excep
tion where these American made
goods are not better is in the bro
cades with gold and silver tincel In
troduced. That is an article that I
regret to say the American manufac
turers seem afraid to attempt; but a
courageous firm has promised ma to
have some ready for my Inspection
In the near future.
And here, before I go any further
Into the reasons for this wicked neg
lect of your own products, let ma
describe the dresses I shew on this
page and that I made of these silks
and woolens.
The model in the right hand cor
ner is a three-piece suit of coarse
tussore, made by a New York firm.
The silk with which it Is lined Is
made by the same firm. The silk has a
white ground with peacock eyes all
over It in orange and grey outlined
with black. The little sunshade is
of the same silk. I consider this
one of the smartest suits I have
ever made. And it is all of it, mind
you, made In America.
The suit in the other corner Is of
dark blue gaberdine trimmed with
black .at in both made in America.
The collar of the coat is designed
to meet the sometimes nipping winds
: of Spring. The vest is quit catchy.
The little evening dress Is the
modified hoop, which I bave-lnaugu-
"u" i?--Amerlca fashion
vu"1 ru7 s some or me
Paris booses are copying. It is of
tulle made by the leading manu-
Lady Duff-Gordon Explains
That Americans Are
Not Only Unpatriotic But
Stupid When They
Sacrifice Their Own Just as
Good Products For The
Worship of the Im
ported Label."
L
ADY "DUFF-GORDON,
London, and foremost creator of fashion! in the
world, writes each week the fashion article for this
newspaper, presenting all that is newest and best in styles for
well-dressed women.
Lady Duff-Gordon's Paris establishment brings her
into close tov' with that centre of fashion.
Emerald Green Evening Dress of Ameri
can - made Tulle, Over Pale Pink
American Net. ' (Designed by
Lady Duff-Gordon.)
factory of that product in New York.
The tulle- Is bright emerald green
over pale pink net embroidered with
gold. The top part of the skirt Is
made of green and gold tinsel bro
cade which the American manu
facturers have not yet been able to
supply me with. This top part of
the brocade is kept out by gold
hoops to give it the proper sticking-
out effect, which is the latest new
looking effect that all my evening
dresses are acquiring. The green
tulle is quite transparent, showing
a small tight skirt underneath.
The remaining photograph is of a
three-piece suit made of fawn tus
sore with thin blue stripes. Also
It is all American.
There yon see what I have done.
And fram Urn to time I will show
yott oth mnu I shall do with
Arr..r(n
your American mult goods.
And now for what It Is that has
Copyright, 1111,
jqencd
the famous "Lucne" of
blinded your eyes to the excellence
of your own goods. There wss a
time, of course, when you were still
young that you could, not produce
the same kind of silks and woolens
that are made abroad. People of
discernment and taste equally of
course bought the Imported goods.
Others, striving to imitate these
people, also bought the Imported.
And so the label "Imported" began
to assume the value of "Incompar
able" and also of "exclusive."
Now that was all very well as
long .as the home-made goods were
inferior, but the moment theiMi pro
ducts became as good as t'-ie im
ported these acquired values meant
nothing. There was then no reason
why women of taste should go
abroad for her dress goods or pass
over the American made products
for the Imported. Indeed there was
net only the patriotic reason and ths
. Hi
-t
by the BUr Compaay.arealJIrfUXJUgbUi Jteaarwd,
hi ' '."."
,uul :
reason of wssfe of time but also
the utllitarisn reason of lower prices.
But the Idea that because the
fabrics were Imported they must be
better still persisted. And It has
been to the interest of the foreign
manufacturers and those on this side
who market the foreign product to
keep up this delusion. To you Amer
icans, Kith your otherwise cleer
seelng buslnes sense, it must at ones
be plain why they do this.
Now Is the time to prove to your
selves how good your own things are
and to lay forever this expensive
ghlst of the "Imported" label.
I can do nothing better In closing
to repeat what I wrote In another
article soon after I cams to America.
I then said:
"Perhaps yea wonder why I, who
am an Englishwoman and lovs
France, should read a lesson against
"importations." And 111 tell you. I
have a house here In America also,
and my intelligence and sympstbles
touch bands with those of Americana
Further, I do not believe In "labels."
I think, to use homely phrase, "every
pot should stand on Iks own bottom."
Also I bellve that excellence, good
workmanship, truth and the first-rate
things are not confined within geog
raphical boundaries. I believe there
will come a time when no one will ssk
"Was this made in Parlsr Or "Was
this made in London?" and so on.
They will only ask themselves "Is
this good? Is It the best?" And
whether It Is or Is not, the matter
of what country it cornea from or
what kind of national fingers mads
it won't matter a ha'penny."
I bave proven to my own satis
faction and to others that A merles a
made dresses from American made
goods are good enough to fee seen,
snywhere.
Why not be sensible?
l ! . -.-
y. Si., tj ! : : ' 'J :
Vt s: fS '
nil , ' ,y '
Fawn, with Blue Stripe American-made Tusstore.
(Designed by Lady Duff-Gordon.)
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