Over the Whimsies

Once upon a time, anyone who wanted to ski simply pulled on a sweater and an old pair of pants, shouldered skis and took off for the hills. That was before the U.S. clothing industry made it its $15 million-a-year business to make sure that skiers got to the wilds suitably groomed to: 1) ski and 2) impress other skiers. Last week, with snow falling in Canada's Laurentians and in the U.S. Midwest, department stores went after the skiers with fashion shows, grand openings and a fanfare of flashy publicity.

Gushed a fashion writer: "Ski wear in general has got over the whimsies and settled down to functional good looks." To many an old skier it looked as if the new functionalism--designed chiefly for women--had taken the sport right off the slopes and into the cocktail lounge.

Manhattan's Bloomingdale's puffed such items as quilted skirts, velveteen trousers (for "after skiing"), and powder-blue parkas embroidered with Alpine flowers described as "too pretty to be tucked in." At Saks Fifth Avenue, Sophie Gimbel paraded a ground-length after-skiing ensemble with stole (price: $129.85).

Canada's brash, young (29) Irving Margolese ("Irving of Montreal"), who had parlayed a tailor shop with three employees into an estimated $275,000-a-year ski clothes business, even brought out tow capes to keep skiers warm on the cold ride up the slope. (Tow attendants will send the capes down on empty chairs.) He also went after customers with flashy tailormades up to $225. Parisian Dressmaker Carven designed "kiss-not" hoods that left an opening only for the nose and eyes.

Even conservative, Finnish-born Jules Andre, a top ski clothes designer, was showing a fancy two-piece outfit. The mass manufacturers had also ducked up. Portland, Ore.'s White Stag Manufacturing Co., whose ski clothes had outsold all others for years (last year's gross: some $1,500,000), stepped out with a jazzy checkered suit (price: $49.50).

Not all skiers liked the new frills. At present prices, a skier who wants to avoid the poor-relation look must spend almost $300 for a complete outfit. Worried one,: "Skiing is being taken away from the masses. The industry is heading for a real fall, if it's not careful."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.