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7th Avenue NearChaos1929!Ieydhan•reNEW YORK (WNS) - Towomen, fashion may be the rise and fall of hemlines, but to those who create fashion it’s a business in which the ups and downs can be far more dizzying than a mere matter of inches.This season has been the most chaotic one in the fashion industry since 1929, when manufacturers were ready to hang themselves by their tape measures when Paris decreed that their inventories of short dresses were “out.”This time, the chaos is caused by other factors, and the faces are changing daily, as ins become outs and those who were thought to be out sometimes find that they’re in after all.Take the curious case of the New York branch of Christian Dior. This high-fashion house is run as a separate establishment, but tlie reins lie ultimately in Paris with Jacques Rouet, who runs C.D. in that city.Over the past few years, all has not been well with Christian Dior-New York, which has had frequent changes of designer under the guiding hand of Ilenry Sherman who is president of the New York house.Most recently, Dominic Toubeix, a Coty Fashion Critics Award winner when he was with Matty Tall mack, has been designer. As the story goes, Mr. Sherman was mightily displeased with the collection dreamed up by Dominic and staff for next fall.Mr. Sherman 'was said to have literally erupted one day, scrapped the entire collection only a few weeks before opening date, andfired Dominic out of hand.But something intervened, perhaps the simple fact that a new designer, not to say a new collection, could hardly be found that quickly. The collection was shown, and when this editor visited there recently, Dominic was very much on the premises.Now, Jacques Rouet himself has arrived from Paris. It has been announced that Rougt is personally takingover direction of Christian Dior-New York, HenrySherman is out. and Dominic is (definitely in. Rouet emphasized the point by saying that the designer had a contract or Indefinite duration,.But if Dominic seems to have been rescued, many others this season haven’t been. Several of the best and oldest houses abruptly closed their doors, including Harvey Berin, Hannah Troy and Patullo-Jo Copeland. Cause? Inflation.It was getting so that their prices, based on union contracts of long standing, and the rise in other expenses, would have continued to rise to a ridiculous point. Even their wealthy customers were beginning to show resistance, and the end wasn’t in sight. Hence doors shutting all over Seventh Avenue.Other high fashion houses have resorted to creating new, less expensive lines. Oscar De La Renta, Sarmi, Donald Brooks, Geoffrey Beene and Teal Traina are just a sampling of the names which have started to beat inflation, while keeping their separate high-fashion lines, by going into what are often called “boutique” clothes.This means you get the label, with a slight additionof a word, at a much lower price. So far, the gambit seems to be working forthese designers.Some outs, however, have become ins, in their own way. Bill Blass, successful designer with Maurice Rentner. has just acquired complete control of the es-teemedhousef rompartners Eugene Lewin an)dHerman' Seigenfeld.He will change the name to Bill Blass, Ltd. and become president of the firm. Blass is about the last major American designer who hasn’t had his name on his firm, so this represents a atep up for him into a certain1 “in” class in the fashion business.Blass is seemingly un-worried by inflation or any other squeeze, including a radical fashion change this season which has seen makers of mini skirts left with dresses on their racks.Blass was into the midi two seasons ago, so he is ahead of the game and now selling his fall collection like mad.Another designer who is moving into the exclusive “in” circle is Victor Joris. He is with Cudtflecoat, has yet to see his own name on the firm although, as withBlass, it is nowadays more often referred to by his name than by the original designation of the firm.
Newspaper Details
The Lima News
Lima, Ohio, US
Tue, Jul 21, 1970
Page 22
Full Page
Clipped by
Daniel M.
GB 16 Jun 2022
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