Palais du Costume

Palais du Costume was a quieter Pike attraction near the central area of the Pike. It had over thirty rooms that dealt with the history of fashion trends from the Roman era to the contemporary. One part of the exhibit included the evolution and history of hair styles.

Barr's Dry Goods furnished the costumes. The costumes

and exhibits had a value of 625,000 dollars, although some papers mentioned it's worth at 675,000. dollars. Costumes of the present were worn by live models.

Louis Spiering, along with Ernest Hellfensteller and William Hirsch received the commission to design and the Palais du Costume which was a successor attraction to the 1900 Paris Exposition. The building was 175 by 150 feet. The western end of the attraction housed the Cafe' Palais du Costume. Strong horizontal lines, emphasized the building's Secessionist influence. By October, 1904, the Palais du Costume was in trouble financially. At closing time, the company proposed to the LPE that it pay al bill except the 3,750 dollar ground rental.

The attraction was billed as the ONLY educational and intensely entertaining Pike exhibit.