Women wear traditional dress in Upper Austria. Every generation wears its own clothing, yet there are lines of development that persist across decades and centuries. Upper Austrian women have always been curious about new trends in their clothing choices, which they readily adopted whenever possible. However, they remained true to region-specific traditions, which are expressed in details. After the abolition of sumptuary laws in the mid-18th century, a distinct Upper Austrian clothing tradition was able to develop. Alongside the regional costume, a traditional dress also evolved for Upper Austrian women, which continues as regional dress and is now being given contemporary inspiration.

A new dress for Upper Austria

In recent months, Upper Austrians, in collaboration with the Upper Austrian Chamber of Commerce's Fashion & Clothing Technology department, were invited to develop a new regional costume for Upper Austrian women. The basis for this exploration was the historical diversity of women's clothing from the 18th to the 20th centuries, drawn from the collection of the Upper Austrian State Museum. The interplay of traditional dress and fashion, society, politics, and history has resulted in a variety of clothing traditions with significant historical differences that persist to this day. The Salzkammergut region is clearly distinguishable from the central region, and the Mühlviertel region from the Innviertel and Hausruckviertel regions. Finding a unifying element for all of Upper Austria is a challenge. The question was whether to create a contemporary dress, a traditional costume, or even a suit.

From among the 46 submissions, a jury of experts has selected 7 exciting designs that bridge the gap between tradition and the future. Visitors are invited to choose their favorite for the "Upper Austrian Dirndl Dress" award.