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PICTURE DRESSES.
HAND PAINTED GOWNS "ARE THE
LATEST FASHION.
Women, evar oa the lookout for sot&e
povoljy or ingenuity concerning their per*
aonal adornment, have developed a new
Sdea (or the embellishment of their attire
(says a London paper).
This latest fad consists of no less than
pictures, bocqnets «f flowers, or duelers
of fruit painted by hand upon the
material.
" The band-painted gown," reuarkeda
fashionable West End modulo, " is exclusively
a Parisian production. You could
not buy one at any West End dressmaker's,
and they are not to be seen on
the market, either whole?ale or retail.
You set;, eacb gown iB a spocial production,
necessitating weekB of carcfui work
by the artist, and the designs arc distinctive.
" This system of embellishment is not
purely confined to dresses, but a variety
of other articleB of attire—such as wraps
and opera ctoflks. Nor is it poFsible to
work upon only one material, for chiffons,
silks. Batins, moire, \oIvet and so forth
can bo similarly and equally well treated.
If, howovcr, there is one material more
especially suited to this artistic defloration,
it iB the new chiffon velvet, which is so
aoft, fine, and clinging. The effect produced
oo this fabric can only be described
as exquisitely beautiful, and not to bo
surpassed by any other creation of the
mo»t exclusive Parit-ian manufacturers.
"The material for the drees ia painted
before tbegoffo is put together. All tbe
different parts of tbe garment, however—
such as the skirt, bodice, ilesves, etc.—
jjiu»t have been carefully cut and skil-
"ul'y fitted before tboy enter tbs studio.
Aftsr tin artist bat completed bis designs,
tho picces arc simply put together—no
fitting or trimming can be done at this
stage, otherwise tbs whole effect would be
completely ruined.
When tbe material is banded to the
artist, he stretches it in precisely tbe same
way as his canvas upon the frame. The
artistic design is decidsd by the customer.
It may bo either a pretty rural scans,
marine view, a bunting episodo, or whatever
tbe wearer ruay fancy. The majority,
however, prefer simple sprays of flowers,
or dusters of fruit, lavishly scattered all
over tbe material, or painted only on tbe
corsage and around tbe edge of tbe
skirt. Ooe very pretty creation bad
trailing vines radiating downward from
the waiBt.
" A fashionable lady recently attended
a social fanciion brdeckcd from bead to
foot in garments which hfcd been embel
iiehed by tbe artist. Her dress was on<
blaze of poppies growing amid com, and
4bc painlin/? alone represented an ontlay
of soino £200. Hor throat wasa^ivelopc'd
in a wrap similarly treated, while in bcr
bat she carried a number of real poppies,
Crowning all was a beautiful silkon sun
shade, tbe scene inscribed upon which ro
ircsented a rural milking scene. . The
fatter was a particularly pretty picture,
end the artist bad recehw} a cheque for
£100 as a reward for his pains.
"When skilfully treated, it is impossible
to distinguish the fact that the subjects
are painted upon tbo material, except
when observed closcly. In fact, tb&
pictures appoar to be printed mechanically
upon the fabric in tho usual manner, or
skilfully worked witb needles and various
colorod silks.
"There ia one incontestable fact concerning
band-painted garmonts-the f&d
will always roraain witb tbe woaltby,
owing to its prohibitive cost. A gown
cmbeilisbeu very sparingly will cost from
£75 to £120; while on^ ere a'.ion which
was destined for a fashionable society
dame cost £750. This was a beautiful
pioce of work, oxocutcd by a prominent
-artist. Tho average oost, however, is
about £250. Tho price is geueraliy,
but cot always, calculated by tho pro
fusion and extent of the painted designs.
Tbo standing of tbe artist, too, excrciecs a
groat influence upon the oost of tbe production."
Wbinb latter fact opens op pew possl»
JjUitiob for tbe uosmnlovAd R.^'s.
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