European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 21, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                1 the year of the dress by Anne Marie sch1ro new York times he a Tess is Back of. Some women have always worn them but not since to ubiquitous Courreges Shilt of the 60s has the circus Mada such a Strong fashion statement in he 1970s Ihu popularity of the pantsuit led to me dominance of sportswear and then id the suit to women aspiring to a Businesslike Imago now those same women have discovered thai Ine right dress can go irom Board room to dinner Date. One sure sign of the new importance of dresses 13 that sportswear companies Are setting up dress divisions count among those Liz Claita Orne. Andenno Vilt Admi Eikon Tracy. Cathy Hardwick. Mary Ann Ristivo and Anne Klein Ari have shown a Tow dresses Lor years but not enough to moot the new demand we be always done Well with dresses in our sportswear line Restivo said Anco people kept asking us for More " those in department stores i ended to to doctored up will everything in the  she said adding ours Are More understated. They re simple so Hoy can a worn for a Tot of occasions while coat dresses Are Selling we l in the United Stales. Restivo said the Besl Selling style in her Lisl dross collection which was shipped to stores two weeks ago is a simple Black silk Shilt adorned Only with two bows a the Backol the neck. It is �370. Restivo s idea is for dresses to to shown m the stores As a cof Terlion. He Way sportswear is it looks Batter Lor the customers it they so fabrics and colors thai work together she said. At Saks filth Avonzo the Ristivo dress collection will be housed in a special area of the disk Jer dress department. Louis Dell Otio. The designer Lor Anne Klein. Also wants his dress line which will have its debut Tor the next resort season to to sold in separate boutiques in stores we re building an entire collect ton from Day to  explained Van Isaacs president of Anne Klein dresses. Louis will be using the same Tab hcs he uses in sportswear and the same styling " although stores have been asking us Lor More dresses or the last couple of years to added we Teol this is the right  lord & Taylor agrees the the store to planning a two week promotion called lord & Taylor and i a dress an american love affair " it will Loa Luro dresses in windows and advertisements and a retrospective exhibition of dress silhouettes irom the 1920s to thu present we be always been a store involved Wilt dresses said Gerald Blunt Oxe curve vies president for marketing and research even when a Jol of Stoes gave Irp on them. Now they re coming Back and an important part of the whole thing is american designers. A lot of designers a a dung exclusive Lor us including Caasi Oscar de la renal. Victor Costa Mary Ann in Tivo. Kay Unger and Chelta b. Kay Ungar Oun Dod her dress concern St. Gillian is years ago when the dress business was realty bad. One reason for her longevity she said is that she always designed for the sportswear customer who she said wants the Comfort of sportswear and the look of sportswear without having to put Alt the pieces together " one other Best Sellers Lor Spring does t look like a dress at All but like a jacket Blouse and Cut Otto in Mcalily the Blouse and Guiotto de one piece. It s $260, Cathy Ardwick who added a dress division to her sportswear line last year also thinks simplicity is the key. Clothing became so compit Caton she said. You had lop an tops hollows Bells. Mosi businesswomen Don t have As much imagination As designers they want to just put on a dress and zip it  although Hartwick concentrates on Day clothes she has found that her beef Selling dress Lor Spring is a puckered Canon Prin with a Lirly flounce and a Low Back thai costs $155. I would t recommend anyone go to the Odice in that she said but that s what s Selling " Kathryn Conover Whoso dross business is seven years old said american women Are entering a period of Well dressing up i see a downtrend of the casual easy still on stats and big Sloppy lops she said. There s a now took about More polished More structured. And i think dresses can carry that polished  Page 14 the stars and stripes