Are Fashion Houses Immoral?

This article follows on from my other article House of Eliott which explains the story.

One of Penelope Maddox's last scenes is when she scuppers a charity ball by giving a speech on what she thinks of the rich and their posh frocks, and how the money spent there would have better gone to helping her mission. As the series go on and Evie gets snootier (aided by vendeuse Alice's views) I began to have sympathy for the charity worker view. A house of couture is about pandering to the very rich and exclusive, letting them be rude to your staff (who don't even use the same entrance) and which doesn't benefit the vast proportion of society.

The Eliotts want to remain exclusive and look down on ready made clothes in catalogues and stores (even when the business is struggling); designing for the opera's alright but not commonplace theatre. They speak of their distinguished clientele who the don't want to give up or put off. Jessie, the next vendeuse, is encouraged to obtain purchases from clients.

Although they rose from nothing, the Eliott sisters forget their seamstress days and do not always treat their workers as fairly as they could. The seamstresses do long extra hours without being asked (eg when they bring a show forward), so that the 'girls' often have as little free time as their bosses without prestige or the pay to match. I noted how grown women were treated as school children whilst at work, much of it coming from the tone of head cutter and seamstress in addressing their staff and the expectation. It recalled my experiences of modern factories though not in any other line of work I have done. The Eliotts expect sacking to be done by a head seamstress, and for that lower role to have to pass on unpopular news about pay cuts; though I admired the Eliott sisters' decision not to take pay themselves during that time. And I respected them for not sacking Agnes on two occasions when she deserved to have been; and allowing her back after needing to lay her off due to shortage of business.

Jack Maddox's parents ask about welfare of staff and Bea says its not her role - but then one is killed and she rethinks. She shows much kindness after this - frequently thanking staff. She takes on a Russian immigrant whom she promotes.Before Jack rallies to make it law, the House of Eliott has a 48 hour working week and work begins at 830am (not 730 as at Mr Duroque's). They pay higher than average wages - although Tilly needs Penelope's plain speaking to get her wages raised to make her job viable; and Betty is unable to manage when her husband is in prison. The Eliotts send staff home who are ill. They pay a personal visit to Tilly when her baby dies. They invite staff into their flat to discuss matters and when there are out of work meetings. When a major decision is not told to Joseph, Bea handles this mistake well. She apologises and invites him to sit with her so she can explain the decision to him.

By the end of the unfinished series, I found myself feeling that Bea had become a model employer but was less impressed by the attitude of her once lovely sister. As for couturiers on principle - it is an art form and I understand the pleasure of creating such designs and the need for rich people to buy them for all the work that is involved. But the embracing of ready to wear for more ordinary people and the right treatment of staff, and taking other newcomers under their wing is vital for the House to be an ethical and useful one.