Dressmakers To The World

Paris is the city where the dressniaking trade flourishes as H does in no other apot in the world. In 1850 Üie number of couturieres, as given in the "Annuaire du Commerce," the commercial directory of those days. was only 158. There were bestdes sixtyseven shops for the sale of ready made feminine apparel, bwt there were none, as there are to-day, whioh sold lingerie or certain articlcs exclusively. In the "Bottin" (as the Paris directory is familiarly known) of 1895 there are 1,636 couturieres and 296 commercial houses for the sale of ready-made garments, besides many establishments which manufacture and sell "jupons de desous" or under petticoats alone. The number of working dressmakers In Paris is estimated at 6o,000. In all France. accordlng to M. Georges Mlchel, the industry of manufacturlng the various artieles of woman's öress is in the hands of 81,400 male and 143,648 female owners of shops or factories. These furnish employment to 700,801 persons, of whom over 500,000 are women. In addition to these there are 925,855 persons vrko make their living from industries which are tributary to that of the manufacture of feminine apparel. The total value of the product, oí this labor from so many hands is estimated at L50,000,000.