Swiss traditional costumes

Swiss traditional costumes (German: Schweizer Trachten; French: costumes suisses) are festive garments of the rural population of Switzerland, specific to each region and deliberately removed from the variations of fashion. They appeared in the 18th century as an expression of regional and social identity. During the 19th century they gave way to urban fashions, but at the end of that century they became a patriotic symbol. Alongside them, costumes linked to profession, social class, or nationality have also continued to develop into the present day.

History

19th-century emblems

In 19th-century prints, costumes underwent a formal simplification, reduced to emblems in which each canton was represented by a couple. This phenomenon was linked both to the political transformations between 1798 and 1815 and to the use of such images as travel souvenirs. From the first half of the 19th century, twenty-two costumed couples appeared in carnival processions, festivals, and commemorations. The "inhabitants" of the Swiss Village at the National Exhibition in Geneva (1896) wore costume. The same year, the Hottingen reading circle organized the first costume festival in Zurich. Interest now turned to historical originals, regarded as "patriotic antiquities". As a co-founder of the costume collection at the Swiss National Museum—into which the models made from old examples for the museum's inaugural procession in 1898 entered—Julie Heierli established recognition of these garments as historical witnesses.

Revival and federation

In 1906 the Schweizer Heimatschutz was constituted, and its cantonal sections gradually took an interest in costumes and their renewal, particularly in the canton of Bern in the run-up to the National Exhibition of 1914. During the First World War, patriotic women's movements in Vaud and Neuchâtel set themselves the goal of maintaining traditional costumes. The 1920s saw the appearance of new models, based on a more or less free interpretation of historical materials. This revival movement presented itself to the public through a large procession at the costume festival held within the federal agricultural exhibition of 1925 in Bern. It led, in 1926, to the founding of the Schweizerische Trachtenvereinigung (STV, French: Fédération nationale des costumes suisses, FNCS), independent from the Heimatschutz. Its primary aim was to introduce among the rural population a sober, timeless women's costume that erased social differences. The link with the Swiss Farmers' Association was ensured through the head of that movement, Ernst Laur. With the help of the Union of Swiss Peasant Women (Landfrauenverbands), the STV reached the rural home-economics schools. The founding of the Heimatwerk further supported the development of costumes by promoting the sale of Swiss textiles.

Later 20th century

The STV had its moment of glory in 1939 at the national costume festival held within the National Exhibition in Zurich. Its membership grew continuously until the end of the 1950s before declining (25,400 members in 2000), as the generational transition proved difficult. The regionalist movement of the 1970s had a positive effect on the federation: local and regional particularities were sought out, while great importance was placed on the historical legitimation of costumes. By also proposing other activities—singing, dance, and travel—and by supporting traditional crafts, costumed groups took an important place in the world of leisure, which translated into stronger male participation.

Rules and contemporary use

The making and wearing of costumes are subject to varied cantonal regulations, the general principles being that a costume is not rented, that one wears only that of one's place of residence or origin, and that on formal occasions it is not combined with other garments. The number of people wearing costume without being affiliated with the federation varies by region. Official recognition of costumes is also reflected in the use made of them, for aesthetic or patriotic reasons, by tourism, advertising, and the media; however, the federation's low level of professionalization prevents a more active exploitation of this image. While the Center for Popular Culture (Zentrum für Volkskultur) in Burgdorf did not endure, the STV, headquartered in Bubikon, is still present at the Ballenberg open-air museum of rural housing.

Historical photographs of Swiss costumes by canton

Aargau

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  Young woman at a spinning wheel in Aargau costume from the Oberaargau, Hans Brun, 1905
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  Full-length view of a woman from the Freiamt in bridal costume, 1905
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  Aargau couple in costume from the Wehntal, 1905

Appenzell Innerrhoden

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  Appenzell Innerrhoden, woman and man in Appenzell costume, 1910
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  Appenzell Innerrhoden, man in Appenzell costume, 1910
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  Appenzell Innerrhoden, men and a boy in Appenzell costume, 1910
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  Appenzell Innerrhoden, man in Appenzell costume, 1910
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  Appenzell Innerrhoden, woman in Appenzell costume, 1905
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  Appenzell Innerrhoden, young woman in Appenzell costume, 1906
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  Half-length view of an Appenzell woman in Innerrhoden costume, 1912
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  Appenzell woman in Innerrhoden Sunday costume, 1907

Basel-Landschaft

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  An older woman in Basel-Landschaft costume weaving, 1905
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  Young woman in Basel-Landschaft costume standing at a table, 1905

Fribourg

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  Two women in Fribourg costume, 1905
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  Woman in Fribourg costume seated on a chair

Glarus

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  Glarus, woman in Glarus costume, full view, 1905
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  Woman in Glarus costume standing under a flowering elder tree, 1905

Graubünden

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  Calanca Valley, woman in Graubünden costume, partial view, 1905
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  Calanca Valley, woman in Graubünden costume, 1905

Nidwalden

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  Nidwalden, woman in Nidwalden costume, partial view, 1905
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  Front view of a Nidwalden man in 18th-century costume, 1905
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  Nidwalden couple in costume, 1905
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  Rear view of a Nidwalden woman in costume, 1905
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  Nidwalden, woman in Nidwalden costume, full view, 1905
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  Nidwalden, Nidwalden hairstyle, 1905

Schaffhausen

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  Young woman from Schaffhausen in Hallau bridal costume reading a book, 1905
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  Profile view of a young woman in Schaffhausen costume, 1905
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  Hallau bride in costume, 1905

Thurgau

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  Thurgau, woman in Thurgau costume, 1905
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  A Thurgau woman in costume seated at a table, reading a book, 1905

Valais

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  Valais, woman in Valais costume, 1905
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  Valais woman in costume from the Val d'Hérens, 1905
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  Profile view of a young Valais woman in costume from the Lötschental, 1905

Zurich

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  Knonaueramt, woman in Zurich costume, 1905
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  Young woman in the Burefeufi costume from the Knonaueramt, 1905
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  Seated young woman in the Burefeufi costume from the Knonaueramt, 1905
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  Rafzerfeld, woman in Zurich costume, 1905
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  Rafzerfeld, woman in Zurich costume, 1905

Geneva, Neuchâtel, St. Gallen, Solothurn, Ticino, Vaud

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  Woman in Geneva costume holding a basket of vegetables
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  Neuchâtel, woman in Neuchâtel costume, partial view, 1905
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  Fürstenland, woman in St. Gallen costume, 1905
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  Solothurn, patrician couple in Solothurn costume, 1905
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  Young woman in Ticino costume from the Verzasca Valley, 1905
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  Vaud wine growers in costume, 1905

List of cantonal costume associations

The websites of the cantonal costume associations provide a detailed overview of the various Swiss costumes.

Cantonal costume associations

Canton	Costume association	Founded	Members	Number of costume groups	Website
Zürich	Zürcher Trachtenvereinigung	1928			trachten-zuerich.ch
Bern	Bernische Trachtenvereinigung	1929		128	trachtenvereinigung-bern.ch
Lucerne	Luzerner Trachtenvereinigung	1927	1,750	51	trachtenvereinigung-luzern.ch
Uri	Trachtenvereinigung Uri	1942		7	trachten-uri.ch
Schwyz	Kantonal Schwyzerische Trachtenvereinigung			14	trachten-sz.ch
Obwalden	Obwaldner Trachten- und Volkslieder-Vereinigung			7	trachten-ow.ch
Nidwalden	Kantonale Trachtenvereinigung Nidwalden	1940	227	4	trachtenvereinigung-nidwalden.ch
Glarus	Trachtenvereinigung des Kantons Glarus
Zug	Zuger Kantonaler Trachtenverband	1941			zugertrachten.ch
Fribourg	Freiburgische Vereinigung für Tracht und Brauch				ffcc.ch
Solothurn	Solothurner Trachtenverband			20	so-trachtenverband.ch
Basel-Stadt	Trachtenverband des Kantons Basel-Stadt	1936	36	2	trachtenvereinigung-bs.ch
Basel-Landschaft	Trachtenvereinigung Baselland	1939	400	12	trachtenvereinigung-bl.ch
Schaffhausen	Schaffhauser Kantonale Trachtenvereinigung				trachten-schaffhausen.ch
Appenzell Ausserrhoden	Trachtenvereinigung Appenzell Ausserrhoden	1926		6	trachtenvereinigung-ar.ch
Appenzell Innerrhoden	Trachtenvereinigung Appenzell Innerrhoden	1936	240	1	trachtenverein-ai.ch
St. Gallen	St. Gallische Trachtenvereinigung	1927	900	35	stgallischetrachtenvereinigung.ch
Graubünden	Bündner Trachtenvereinigung	1933		26	buendnertracht.ch
Aargau	Aargauischer Trachtenverband	1927		54	trachtenverband-aargau.ch
Thurgau	Thurgauer Trachtenvereinigung	1926		18	thurgauer-trachtenvereinigung.ch
Ticino	Federazione Cantonale del Costume Ticinese	1937		17	costumiticinesi.ch
Vaud	Association Cantonale du Costume Vaudois	1916		18	costume-vaudois.ch
Valais	Walliser Trachtenvereinigung			41	costumes-valais.ch
Neuchâtel	Société du costume neuchâtelois
Geneva	Fédération Cantonale du Costume Genevois	1930		15	fccge.ch
Jura	Association des costumes et coutumes de la République et Canton du Jura

(Sources: websites of the cantonal costume associations, as of September 2015.)

References

 This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC-BY SA. Text taken from Costumes suisses​, Christine Burckhardt-Seebass, Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.

Bibliography

• J. Heierli, Die Volkstrachten der Schweiz, 5 vols., 1922–1932.
• Heimatleben, 24, 1951.
• L. Witzig, Les costumes suisses, 1954 (German ed. 1954).
• L. Schürch, L. Witzig, Trachten der Schweiz, 1978 (repr. 1984).
• C. Burckhardt-Seebass, "Trachten als Embleme", in Zeitschrift für Volkskunde, 77, 1981, 209–226.
• S. Bolla, O. Lurati, L'immagine della tradizione, 1990.
• Th. Antonietti, Mode, Macht und Tracht, 2003.