"Draperies and Costumes"
Paris.
Sir,—I am in receipt of a most informing article from you entitled "Colour Bases for Next Summer Styles." I thank you for your kindness in allowing me to share your look into the future but; candidly, I do not think I shall share it with the readers of this page.
One does not like to question your powers of divination, and no doubt all your prophecies will be fulfilled,—still, yet, nevertheless and not withstanding it seems a little like a gambling game. Suppose I announce to a credulous world that—bisque, was it you said—yes bisque and pearl grey were to be the popular hues, and then the leading Parisian actress changes her complexion and makes a new shade all the rage, how shall T regain face with my clientele? I hardly dare stock up with bisques and greys myself for much, much water can flow under the bridges of fashion before another summer's wardrobe must come up for consideration.
So here I am, a repository of style secrets. I am no good guardian of mysteries. It makes me uncomfortable to be keeping anything from the public. In fact I have never succeeded in doing s0. You know Shanghai., But this is different. It would the like publishing a tip on the races that might make everybody lose money. aoa neither anxious nor ready to I have thought of publishing your excellent forecast with the instruction "Not to be read till 1 May, 1993," but it is asking a good deal to suggest to the ladies that they file this away in their Line-A-Day books for next year. No, I see that I must bear the burden of responsibility myself. I shall put it in my '"'memory-tickler." Do you know those horrid things that are constantly reminding you of things you hoped to get out of doing? I have put a memo in my diary, which I never use. T have added a codicil to my will in case I should die before I print, and last of all I have urged our Head Office Boy who was never known to forget anything to jog my memory around April 25 proximo, Under these circumstances would it be too much to ask of you to delay sending me suggestions for the fall and winter of 1923-47 If they should arrive before Christmas I might be careless enough to consider them timely and run them in at once, and it would never do to have Shanghai too advanced. One-must not be pra-mature in the Orient and anticipat tion is the thief of time.
Hoping not to hear from you soon, I am, Yours ungratefully, Sornta Sryrzs Sueers.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.