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S'iit of Kahki American
Made Tussore, lined with
-nericn - Made Silk. .
(Ltigned by Lady Duff
Gordon.) ash ions from
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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 Zrn
ported Label."
ADY "DUFF-GORDON, the famous "Lucue" of
I London, and foremost creator of fashions 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 uwh. with that centre of fashion.
American-made Blue Gaberdine Suit, Trimmed with Black
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 is 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 tho duty of one's own
countrymen to reach and exceed If
possible the superior foreign stand
ard. The standard would be put
against thorn 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
buy 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 Is, potentially at least,
treason.
, I have in mind particularly the
"American made silks," which are so
good that you can stand up and fight
the world anywhere with them. And
yet these exquisite things must rest
more or less unnoticed In- the shade,
all because of the absurd worship of
the "Imported." That Is to me, one
'of the most puzzling things about
America. When I came to this coun
try last Fall, I became Interested la
these silks. Their manufacturers
and others asked me It I would not
stay 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 pt 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 Rawed by American girls right
here 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 I said, and to help the "made
In America" movement by showing
Just what could be done with these
fabrics. I am preparing an entirely
special new collection to show to se
lected dressmakers throughout the
country. I are doing It to prove to
the dressmakers that they need no
longer tow to this Idol of the "Im
ported," but that they have right
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 silks that I am staying
right here and creating my own ex
clusive models for Paris and London
right down at my studio on Fifth
avenue 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 poods
and sewed by American hands to be
exhibited In Paris, hitherto the
"Mecca" of the dressmaking world. I
think It shows the quality of my faith,
don't you? 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 sliver tlncel 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 me 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 me
describe the dresses I show 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 satin both made In America.
The collar of the coat is designed
to meet the sometimes nipping winds
of Spring. The vest is quite catchy.
The little evening dress is the
modified boop, which I have Inaugu
rated m a made-ln-Amerlca fashion
nnd that already I see some of the
Pari houses are copying. It Is of
tulle made by the leading , maou-
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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
Winded your eyes to the excellence
of your own goods. There was a
time, of course, when yon were still
young mat you could not produce
made of green and gold tinsel bro- the am kind Af alTVa mrA wnAlnnl
cade which the American manu- that are made abroad. People of
facturers have not yet been able to discernment and taste equally of
supply me with. This top part of course bouKht the Imported goods,
the brocade is kept out by gold Others, striving to imitate these
$?PVtoJ 'w01." VTfVT MMaK' JoP'e. a'oo bought the imported.
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 you see what I have (lone.
And so the label "Imported" began
to assume the value of "Incompar
able" and also of ."exclusive."
Now that wns all very well as
long as the home mnde goods were
inferior, but the moment these pro
ducts became as good ss the Im
ported these acquired values meant
nothing. There was then no reason
wny women of taste should go
And from time to time I will show abroad for her dram mmii or ran
yon other things I shall do with over the American made products
your American made goods. . . . for the imported. Jndeed there was
And now for what it is that h not only the patriotic leason and the
1 Copyright. 115. by the Bur Company. Qrtat Brit'
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reason of waste of time but also
the utilitarian 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 yon Amer
icans, Iwlth your otherwise clear
seeing busines sense, it must at once
be plain why they do this.
Now is the time to prove to your
selves how good your own things afe
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 came to America.
I then said:
"Perhaps yen wonder why I, who
am an Englishwoman and love
France, should read a lesson against
"Importations." And I'll tell you. I
have a house here In America also,
and my Intelligence and sympathies
touch hands with those of Americans.
Further, I do not believe in "labels."
I think, to use homely phrase, "every
pot should stand, on lis) own bottom."
Also I bellve that excellence, good
workmanship, truth and the flrst-rate
things are not confined within geog
raphical boundaries. I believe there
will come a time when no one will ask
"Was this made In Paris?" 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 comes from or
what kind of national fingers made
It won't matter a ha'penny."
I have proven to my own istlt
faetlon and to others that American
made dresjes from American triads
goods are good enough to be seen
anywhere.
Why not be sensible?
a Right lUaarvtd,
Fawn, with Blue Stripe American-mad Tutor.
(Designed by Lady Duff-Gordon.)
.v. .