the americanization of edward bok-第61章

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t　to　what　was　being　imposed　upon　her　if　she　knew　the　facts。　He　determined　that　she　should。　The　process　of　Americanization　going　on　within　him　decided　him　to　expose　the　Paris　conditions　and　advocate　and　present　American…designed　fashions　for　women。

The　Journal　engaged　the　best…informed　woman　in　Paris　frankly　to　lay　open　the　situation　to　the　American　women；　she　proved　that　the　designs　sent　over　by　the　so…called　Paris　arbiters　of　fashion　were　never　worn　by　the　Frenchwoman　of　birth　and　good　taste；　that　they　were　especially　designed　and　specifically　intended　for　〃the　bizarre　American　trade；〃　as　one　polite　Frenchman　called　it；　and　that　the　only　women　in　Paris　who　wore　these　grotesque　and　often　immoderate　styles　were　of　the　demimonde。

This　article　was　the　opening　gun　of　the　campaign；　and　this　was　quickly　followed　by　a　second　equally　convincingboth　articles　being　written　from　the　inside　of　the　gilded　circles　of　the　couturiers'　shops。　Madame　Sarah　Bernhardt　was　visiting　the　United　States　at　the　time；　and　Bok　induced　the　great　actress　to　verify　the　statements　printed。　She　went　farther　and　expressed　amazement　at　the　readiness　with　which　the　American　woman　had　been　duped；　and　indicated　her　horror　on　seeing　American　women　of　refined　sensibilities　and　position　dressed　in　the　gowns　of　the　declasse　street…women　of　Paris。　The　somewhat　sensational　nature　of　the　articles　attracted　the　attention　of　the　American　newspapers；　which　copied　and　commented　on　them；　the　gist　of　them　was　cabled　over　to　Paris；　and；　of　course；　the　Paris　couturiers　denied　the　charges。　But　their　denials　were　in　general　terms；　and　no　convincing　proof　of　the　falsity　of　the　charges　was　furnished。　The　French　couturier　simply　resorted　to　a　shrug　of　the　shoulder　and　a　laugh；　implying　that　the　accusations　were　beneath　his　notice。

Bok　now　followed　the　French　models　of　dresses　and　millinery　to　the　United　States；　and　soon　found　that　for　every　genuine　Parisian　model　sold　in　the　large　cities　at　least　ten　were　copies；　made　in　New　York　shops；　but　with　the　labels　of　the　French　dressmakers　and　milliners　sewed　on　them。　He　followed　the　labels　to　their　source；　and　discovered　a　firm　one　of　whose　specialties　was　the　making　of　these　labels　bearing　the　names　of　the　leading　French　designers。　They　were　manufactured　by　the　gross；　and　sold　in　bundles　to　the　retailers。　Bok　secured　a　list　of　the　buyers　of　these　labels　and　found　that　they　represented　some　of　the　leading　merchants　throughout　the　country。　All　these　facts　he　published。　The　retailers　now　sprang　up　in　arms　and　denied　the　charges；　but　again　the　denials　were　in　general　terms。　Bok　had　the　facts　and　they　knew　it。　These　facts　were　too　specific　and　too　convincing　to　be　controverted。

The　editor　had　now　presented　a　complete　case　before　the　women　of　America　as　to　the　character　of　the　Paris…designed　fashions　and　the　manner　in　which　women　were　being　hoodwinked　in　buying　imitations。

Meanwhile；　he　had　engaged　the　most　expert　designers　in　the　world　of　women's　dress　and　commissioned　them　to　create　American　designs。　He　sent　one　of　his　editors　to　the　West　to　get　first…hand　motifs　from　Indian　costumes　and　adapt　them　as　decorative　themes　for　dress　embroideries。　Three　designers　searched　the　Metropolitan　Museum　for　new　and　artistic　ideas；　and　he　induced　his　company　to　install　a　battery　of　four…color　presses　in　order　that　the　designs　might　be　given　in　all　the　beauty　of　their　original　colors。　For　months　designers　and　artists　worked；　he　had　the　designs　passed　upon　by　a　board　of　judges　composed　of　New　York　women　who　knew　good　clothes；　and　then　he　began　their　publication。

The　editor　of　The　New　York　Times　asked　Bok　to　conduct　for　that　newspaper　a　prize　contest　for　the　best　American…designed　dresses　and　hats；　and　edit　a　special　supplement　presenting　them　in　full　colors；　the　prizes　to　be　awarded　by　a　jury　of　six　of　the　leading　New　York　women　best　versed　in　matters　of　dress。　Hundreds　of　designs　were　submitted；　the　best　were　selected；　and　the　supplement　issued　under　the　most　successful　auspices。

In　his　own　magazine；　Bok　published　pages　of　American…designed　fashions：　their　presence　in　the　magazine　was　advertised　far　and　wide；　conventions　of　dressmakers　were　called　to　consider　the　salability　of　domestic…designed　fashions；　and　a　campaign　with　the　slogan　〃American　Fashions　for　American　Women〃　was　soon　in　full　swing。

But　there　it　ended。　The　women　looked　the　designs　over　with　interest；　as　they　did　all　designs　of　new　clothes；　and　paid　no　further　attention　to　them。　The　very　fact　that　they　were　of　American　design　prejudiced　the　women　against　them。　America　never　had　designed　good　clothes；　they　argued：　she　never　would。　Argument　availed　naught。　The　Paris　germ　was　deep…rooted　in　the　feminine　mind　of　America：　the　women　acknowledged　that　they　were；　perhaps；　being　hoodwinked　by　spurious　French　dresses　and　hats；　that　the　case　presented　by　Bok　seemed　convincing　enough；　but　the　temptation　to　throw　a　coat　over　a　sofa　or　a　chair　to　expose　a　Parisian　label　to　the　eyes　of　some　other　woman　was　too　great；　there　was　always　a　gambling　chance　that　her　particular　gown；　coat；　or　hat　was　an　actual　Paris　creation。

Bok　called　upon　the　American　woman　to　come　out　from　under　the　yoke　of　the　French　couturiers；　show　her　patriotism；　and　encourage　American　design。　But　it　was　of　no　use。　He　talked　with　women　on　every　hand；　his　mail　was　full　of　letters　commending　him　for　his　stand；　but　as　for　actual　results；　there　were　none。　One　of　his　most　intelligent　woman…friends　finally　summed　up　the　situation　for　him：

〃You　can　rail　against　the　Paris　domination　all　you　like；　you　can　expose　it　for　the　fraud　that　it　is；　and　we　know　that　it　is；　but　it　is　all　to　no　purpose；　take　my　word。　When　it　comes　to　the　question　of　her　personal　adornment；　a　woman　employs　no　reason；　she　knows　no　logic。　She　knows　that　the　adornment　of　her　body　is　all　that　she　has　to　match　the　other　woman　and　outdo　her；　and　to　attract　the　male；　and　nothing　that　you　can　say　will　influence　her　a　particle。　I　know　this　all　seems　incomprehensible　to　you　as　a　man；　but　that　is　the　feminine　nature。　You　are　trying　to　fight　something　that　is　unfightable。〃

〃Has　the　American　woman　no　instinct　of　patriotism；　then？〃　asked　Bok。

〃Not　the　least；〃　was　the　answer；　〃when　it　comes　to　her　adornment。　What　Paris　says；　she　will　do；　blindly　and　unintelligently　if　you　will；　but　she　will　do　it。　She　will　sacrifice　her　patriotism；　she　will　even　justify　a　possible　disregard　of　the　decencies。　Look　at　the　present　Parisian　styles。　They　are　absolutely　indecent。　Women　know　it；　but　they　follow　them　just　the　same；　and　they　will。　It　is　all　very　unpleasant　to　say　this；　but　it　is　the　truth　and　you　will　find　it　out。　Your　effort；　fine　as　it　is；　will　bear　no　fruit。〃

Wherever　Bok　went；　women　upon　whose　judgment　he　felt　he　could　rely；　told　him；　in　effect；　the　same　thing。　They　were　all　regretful；　in　some　cases　ashamed　of　their　sex；　universally　apologetic；　but　one　and　all　declared　that　such　is　〃the　feminine　nature；〃　and　Bok　would　only　have　his　trouble　for　nothing。

And　so　it　proved。　For　a　period；　the　retail　shops　were　more　careful　in　the　number　of　genuine　French　models　of　gowns　and　hats　which　they　exhibited；　and　the　label　firm　confessed　that　its　trade　had　fallen　off。　But　this　was　only　temporary。　Within　a　year　after　The　Journal　stopped　the　campaign；　baffled　and　beaten；　the　trade　in　French　labels　was　greater　than　ever；　hundreds　of　French　models　were　sold　that　had　never　crossed　the　ocean；　the　American　woman　was　being　hoodwinked　on　every　hand；　and　the　reign　of　the　French　couturier　was　once　more　supreme。

There　was　no　disguising　the　fact　that　the　case　was　hopeless；　and　Bok　recognized　and　accepted　the　inevitable。　He　had；　at　least；　the　satisfaction　of　having　made　an　intelligent　effort　to　awaken　the　American　woman　to　her　unintelligent　submission。　But　she　refused　to　be　awakened。　She　preferred　to　be　a　tool：　to　be　made　a　fool　of。

Bok's　probe　into　the　feminine　nature　had　been　keenly　disappointing。　He　had　earnestly　tried　to　serve　the　American　woman；　and　he　had　failed。　But　he　was　destined　to　receive　a　still　greater　and　deeper　disappointment　on　his　next　excursion　into　the　feminine　nature；　although；　this　time；　he　was　to　win。

During　his　investigations　into　women's　fashions；　he　had　uneart