The clothing industry in Austria depends on it
The “dirndl”: simplicity and femininity from the countryside to the imperial court
The dirndl was able to take its important traditional place in Austria with its simple, feminine and romantic look at the same time.
AFP
Thekla Weisingruber, curator of the exhibition.
AFP
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Like the Gulf dress, the Japanese kimono, or the Indian sari, the dirndl was able to take its important traditional position in Austria, that simple outfit, from the white shirt, the bodice and the round skirt attached to an apron, with its simple, feminine and romantic look at the same time, and in recent years it was able to In the past, it spread more among social media influencers, both in Austria and abroad, which greatly revived this outfit.
With the return of the dirndl's fame, and its adoption by one of the most famous British fashion designers, Vivienne Westwood, it has finally become one of the basics of the clothing industry in Austria, 70% of which is exported outside the country, according to the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, and all this This beautiful and traditional outfit made it the star of the current exhibition in the Austrian town of Bad Ischl in Salzkammerguet, once the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph and his wife Elisabeth, better known as Sissi.
This charming town is located between mountains and lakes, and was one of the first places to produce this costume, along with neighboring regions, such as Taylor, Bavaria, southern Germany.
Practical and cheap
The curator of the exhibition, Thekla Wiesingruber, believes that the women living in these areas adopted this type of clothing due to its low cost and practicality, whose name came from the local dialect, which also means “girl”, and with the passage of time the matter evolved, and this outfit turned into an option preferred by women The imperial court also, and that was in the 19th century, was the perfect choice for their summer holidays in the country.
She added, "Everything was surrounded by tight corsets at the time, and the summer vacation was the time during which they were freed from that suffocating piece, by relying on these lightweight, comfortable, and vibrantly colored dresses."
The exhibition will be held in "Marmorchlossel" or "the hut", which was given to "Sisi" by her husband, and displays this traditional and historical costume, and all the developments that have occurred during the times, by displaying 50 models of it.
Fits the tiles
As is the case with every innovation, it often starts simple and serves only purpose, as the costume in the exhibition is presented in its first and ancient form, modest without ripples or additions, to quickly transform into a more distinctive and conspicuous outfit, suitable for visitors to the summer imperial villa.
In Bad Ischl, one of the first towns to make this costume, Angelica Schuer runs a craft shop
The Dirndl, which has been run by the family since 1895, says that her grandfather used to enumerate her visits by the court ladies from his clients, indicating that “he was under the strict supervision of the guards, when he was taking the measurements of the court ladies, as he was completely prevented from some movements and positions during doing his job.”
Stage costumes and actresses
Although the Nazis did not forbid women to wear the dirndl, they forbade his name being mentioned.
Despite all the periods that have passed in that region, this traditional rural costume has survived, and has not disappeared, especially with the support, encouragement and celebration of it by the organizers and sponsors of the ancient Salzburg Festival, which was held since the twenties of the last century until today.
The popularity of this costume came outside Austria, with the fame of the musical "White Horse Inn" supposed to take place in Salzkammerguet, a show that managed to reach Broadway in 1936, in addition to the wearing of the costume by Hollywood stars, such as Marlene Dietrich.
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