You may think that Eloise is in Paris, but the fact is, Eloise is absolutely everywhere. She is in the nation's bookshops, department stores, toy shops, children's apparel stores and Schraffts. She has the approval of Good Housekeeping. This year she is giving the nation's merchants an absolutely joyous Christmas. No book hits come along to stir up trade this way since Ferdinand the Bull, refused to come out and (Davy Crockett, of Course, got his start in TV and the movies.) Eloise is rawther unique. As everyone who can read must know by this time, Eloise is an over-privileged six-year--old, the terror of the Hotel Plaza in New York. She is among the hotel's more sophisticated residents. She is also ill-mannered, ill-tempered and ugly. But she has her charm. She often means well, and her mother neglects her. Even though you know that you would do the same thing if she were yours, you can't help finding this appealing. Since Kay Thompson, who used to star as a night club entertainer in the Hotel Plaza's Persian Room, wrote "Eloise," published by Simon and Schuster in 1955, the book has sold more than 150,000 copies in this country. It is still selling briskly. The second book, "Eloise in Paris" (Simon and Schuster), was published on November 14, which some people might consider a bit late for the Christmas trade. Well, the customers were just waiting for it, that's all. The demand has been so great that 100,000 copies were in print and 80,000 sold within three weeks of publication. Single day's orders have run as high as 6,071. "Eloise" has also been very successful in England under the imprint of Max Reinhardt, Ltd. (PW, December 2 and 9).

This, however, is only the beginning. Eloise has launched an industry. An Eloise record, made by Cadence records, has sold out absolutely all the available stock of 100,000 records. There are Eloise dolls made by Hol-le Toy Company of New York in two sizes. There is a 21-inch doll-sized doll and a 42-inch doll that is bigger than some six-year-olds. Eloise's own peculiar smirk has been reproduced with remarkable accuracy on the Hol-le dolls, which are selling just as fast as they can be made. Johnston's of Dallas has created a line of charming and durable dresses, inspired by Eloise, for little girls who wear sizes 3 to 12. Miniatures of these chic dresses are being made by Jane Miller Company of Lafayette, California, to fit the Eloise dolls. Kaybobs of New York his made an Eloise Emergency Kit, a child-sized hat box containing such Eloisiana as bubble gum, crayons, turtle food, sun glasses, and soap, note pads and Please-Do-Not-Disturb signs from the Hotel Plaza.

In 1958 Easter bonnets designed for Eloise by Mr. John will make their appearance and several other products are also in the planning stage. There will be Eloise French postcards this spring. They are clean and adorned with some of the hilarious drawings done by Hilary Knight for "Eloise in Paris." These cards, which will sell for 25 cents, are available in lots of 3 dozen from Eloise Ltd., an organization which has its headquarters, appropriately, at the Hotel Plaza (PLaza 8-2665). Kay Thompson is president of the firm, and Robert Bernstein, formerly of Simon and Schuster (PW, November 11), is executive vice-president. Jill Herman, another recruit from S&S, serves as publicity director. Eloise, Ltd. has bought the Eloise record, and plans to have new recordings ready early in the spring. Miss Thompson will appear on these as both Eloise and Nannie. She also writes the words and music. She is an old hand at this, having been both writer and arranger of many popular songs. This amazingly versatile artist has also been it dancer and choreographer, a movie actress whose last appearance was in "Funny Face," a singer, a TV star, and the designer of a line of garments known as Kay Thompson Fancy Pants and ideally suited to tall, rangy girls like Kay Thompson.

When not engaged in any of the above-mentioned activities, Miss Thompson has somehow found a few hours in which to introduce Eloise products to the customers of a number of major stores. She was on hand, for example, when Nieman-Marcus of Dallas launched the Eloise dresses during its glamorous "French Fortnight" in October (PW Oct. 14). The store has no book department, but it sells the Eloise books in its toy shop and children's wear departments and in the small children's book department in its suburban store. She visited J. L. Hudson, Detroit, recently when the store held a huge store-wide promotion for Eloise. There were signs absolutely all over the store directing customers to a replica of Eloise's rawther cluttered room at the Plaza. Hudson's advertised the promotion extensively, and Kay Thompson appeared on a number of local TV shows. Recently, Miss Thompson autographed at Best & Company in New York where various Eloise products are available. While PW's representative was in the store, Best's well-known Lilliputian Bazaar seemed to be selling a good many books along with the dolls and dresses. The store, which has no book department, has sold to date more than 1000 copies of "Eloise." Best's has advertised the Eloise products widely, using pictures of Eloise in the ads. During the week of Miss Thompson's appearance the store devoted three of its Fifth Avenue windows to Eloise dresses, dolls, and books.

In general, however, Eloise, Ltd., has found television to be its most effective promotion medium. Miss Thompson has appeared in the past month on the Dave Garroway, Arlene Francis, and Tex and Jinx shows, and she is slated for appearances on the TV programs conducted by Dinah Shore, Perry Como, and Patrice Munsel.

With or without the author, however, Eloise books and other products are being, featured this fall by about 100 of the nation's big stores, including: Foley's, Houston; Rike-Kumler, Dayton: Hutzier's, Baltimore; F.A.0. Schwarz, New York, Lord & Taylor, New York; L. S. Ayres, Indianapolis; Filene's, Boston; Strawbridge & Clothier, Philadelphia; Bloomingdale's, New York; Garfinkel's, Washington; Higbee Company, Cleveland; Carson, Pirie Scott, Chicago; Dayton Company, Minneapolis; Roos Brothers, San Francisco; I. Magnin, San Francisco, and J. W. Robinson, Los Angeles. Bonwit Teller in Philadelphia plans a big "Charge It Please With Eloise" promotion early in the new year, aimed at getting new charge customers for the store. Jordan Marsh in Miami recently held a fashion show for Eloise dresses. No store seems to be deterred by the fact that Eloise products have been promoted by other stores in the same city, and the demand for Eloise products and promotions has been and still is terrific.

Time magazine has used Eloise in an ad, and Renault automobiles plans to base a year's campaign on Eloise, who will be depicted by Hilary Knight in the ads riding in Renault and proclaiming it to be the absolutely favorite car. Bloomingdale's recently made up it guide for sales people written in Eloise's rawther unusual style.

In the past year, Eloise has had a considerable amount of publicity in national magazines. Stories have run in Life, (twice), McCall's, Good Housekeeping, Harper's Bazaar and This Week. Books and dolls have been pictured it great many stores' Christmas catalogs. Next year about this time the booksellers hope there may be another book about Eloise. After all, the possibilities are endless. Merry Christmas, Eloise!

(Article contains one additional picture of a window display of Eloise dresses at Nieman-Marcus in Dallas)