West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Monday 18 March 1935, page 6


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TALENTED MANNEQUIN Miss Jessica Har court in Perth.

MISS JESSICA HARCOURT, who has ATJ- come to Perth to conduct Poy and Gibson's autumn fashion parades, which begin tomorrow, showed no siens of her

six-day train journey across Australia when interviewed on her arrival on Friday. Tall, slight, and fair, with the unusual attraction of large brown eyes and short curly golden hair, she was the embodiment of all that she has come to teach in the way of' fashion and the culture of beauty of carriage and -appearance. She was wearing a simple frock of beige Chinese silk, the short sleeves buttoned with dark brown buttons, and the corsage finished by a large soft bow of dark brown silk. Her beautifully-cut brown coat was trimmed with d big fur collar, and her hat of white felt, with the piquant 1935 angle, was finished with a tiny white wing. In answer to a question as to why she had chosen to be a mannequin when she has so many artistic gifts at her command and the background of a really good education into the bargain, Miss Harcourt put the message she has come to Western Australia to preach into a nutshell: 'Be-cause I loved clothes (and I have a lot of French blood in my veins, our name was originally D'Harcoust), and I think all. women would be happier if they thought more of dress and how they looked. It is great happiness quite apart from any vanity to be well-dressed and well-groomed. It makes one feel one can conquer the world. And it makes people one associates with happier, . too. if one is not dowdy and careless.' Towards this end Miss Harcourt seeks to make her fashion parades something more than mere exhibitions of the new modes, but to use her own words she seeks to make them 'artistic events.' And as she spoke with a glowing enthusiasm for her work it was not difficult to believe her words when she affirmed ardently:. 'I love work, it is my life.' During the past six months Miss Harcourt and her. partner have been manufacturing fourteen different kinds of beauty preparations formulated specially to suit Australian conditions. She is also experienced ^n film and stage work, writes newspaper articles, and also gives broadcast talks.