Will we see Brocades and Falbalas again?
It depends on the tax and customs

Embroidery, lace, feathers, ornaments, pretty Parisian ornaments in which our “fairy fingers” excel, have disappeared from hats and dresses since the war.
We understood this clothing reserve in the months following the armistice. France was still in mourning. But the reign of the simple and the dark has continued, and the industries that lived off fashion accessories and couture are in the doldrums.

The Minister of Commerce was moved. He is looking for the causes of this crisis and has carried out a survey among Chambers of Commerce and professional groups.
The answer, alas! was easy to predict. Luxury is dying from the tax and other burdens with which it is burdened and the drop in exchange rates has given it the final blow.

The Opinion of Mr. Joseph-Paquin
- One of our great Parisian couturiers, Mr. Joseph Paquin, has listed for us some of the reasons which currently prohibit couturiers and milliners from using, as before the war, these graceful frills which gave such a picturesque and cheerful note to the female costumes of yesteryear.

- Do not think that it was out of pleasure that my colleagues and I adopted the almost plain fashion without any ornaments. There is a major reason for our attitude. You know that we have a large American clientele: however, the United States has imposed formidable rights on our productions. A dress without trim is taxed 80%; if it has embroidery, it's 90%, and finally, if it includes a lace pattern, it goes up to 110%.
These figures will make you understand why we cannot adorn the models we launch with ornaments as we would like. The slightest lace is likely to alienate our customers.
This year, however, we have made an effort: our collections feature models decorated with ribbons.

A better understood customs policy, which would bring about a reduction in the prohibitive duties imposed on articles of clothing, would obtain the result that Mr. Dior is seeking.

At the moment, we are seeing a worrying increase in fabrics, which is not designed to boost the luxury trade: such a Moroccan, which was worth 30 francs six months ago, has risen to 60 francs. Americans and English, favored by the exchange rate, literally raided all the fabrics on the Place de Lyon. They're giving us sugar.” Equipped with our fabrics and with the help of our carefully copied models, foreign designers are leading a worrying offensive against us.

At the Fashion Trade Union Chamber, whose president is Ms. Suzanne Bozier, we have heard the same complaints. Luxury, heavily burdened, disappears. Alas! the very French industries that made their living from it succumbed, and the Parisian “chic” so renowned suffered an eclipse which was not designed to raise our economic prestige.