Fashion 88 : Large-Scale Interest in Mart’s Petite Show

Actress Charlene Tilton of TV’s “Dallas” made a quick trip down the runway in a dressy white mink cape and a not-so-dressy black cotton-jersey dress.

“It’s fun and comfortable,” Tilton said, partially explaining her dress choice for the finale of a petite fashion show at the California Mart in downtown Los Angeles.

“It fits me to a T, in size and personality,” added the petite Tilton, standing tall in black satin pumps.

Drop Torso

The Dennis Goldsmith dress, with its long sleeves, snug drop torso and flirtatious ruffles, did curve smoothly around her 5-foot, 95-pound frame. “It’s upscale sophisticated,” Tilton said, getting in what seemed a last plug for the dress.

It’s also part of an arrangement with Goldsmith, who has added a petite collection to his line. He will provide Tilton with a wardrobe for her TV role, and she will make store appearances on his behalf, a company spokesperson said.

The actress, it turns out, isn’t a one-designer woman. She also likes the “younger, fun” pieces from the petite collections of Evan Picone and Liz Claiborne, designers who have made life easier for her, she said. “Within the last two years, it’s become possible to buy clothes off the rack and never see my tailor.”

Tilton’s three favorite labels were missing from the Mart’s fall lineup, but there were other names for her list.

A.B.S. showed zippy suits in “Brigadoon”-flavored plaids. Bolero or cardigan jackets topped pleated skirts and tapered pants. British-inspired accessories included wire-rim eyeglass frames, flower-decked bowler hats and black-patent oxfords generously tied with satin ribbons.

Career dressing looked a cut above when handled by Harve Bernard, who offered boxy, double-breasted blazers and wide flannel pants along with a number of bright wool dresses and suits in shades of raspberry, teal and cobalt blue. There were topcoats in the same exuberant fall colors. And anyone who has searched Los Angeles (usually in vain) for a warm, stylish coat could only gaze at them with appreciation.

Bridget Sorenson, director of Harve Bernard’s petite division, was in the audience and passed along some vital statistics. Prices for the collection, carried in Nordstrom and a number of specialty stores, she said, start around $118 for “basic, fully lined gabardine pants, available in eight colors.”

There’s definitely a demand for small-scale fashion, according to Sorenson. Since her New York-based employer introduced the division last fall, “petite sales have increased 60%.” Her advice to women short in stature, high on expectations? “They can dress any way they want. If the manufacturer has scaled the clothes properly, they’ll never have a problem.”

Interesting Separates

There were interesting separates, including an exotic print top and solid skirt, from Bonnie & Bill. Both La Sah Petites and Karen Kane showed a number of knits and proved that petites can get away with horizontal stripes (once a taboo) and long flowing skirts. Kane broke more rules with a bold window-pane plaid jacket combined with stripe pants.

Bonnie Boerer took petites out of the traditional mold with brightly colored, boldly patterned sweaters. Act I mixed small floral prints with big collars, and Prophecy Petites showed check and plaid two-piece dressing along with a versatile black pantsuit made fresh with a bolero jacket.

Street 10 offered dressy prints for a more mature woman. And Ursula of Switzerland’s florals were special-occasion enough to carry off the Somper furs at the end of the show.

Out of her mink, Tilton was being filmed by a Japanese TV crew that just happened to be visiting the Mart. She looked every inch her “Dallas” character, Lucy: youthful, radiant, slightly vulnerable. She stood as straight as she could, but she still appeared, well, petite.

Does she ever wish she were taller? “Every day.”