Have You Ever Seen a GORE-TEX Bavarian Dress?
Lodenfrey is a Munich institution. Founded in 1842 as a weaving mill, today it’s a six-floor department store and a prominent maker of traditional Bavarian fashion. Want one of those old-school Bavarian blazers that button right up to the collar? Or a pair of authentic Bavarian lederhosen (that’s German for leather pants)? Lodenfrey has some of the finest.
And yet, Lodenfrey has never made a dirndl quite like the ones it's made for Highsnobiety’s Oktoberfest project. Those are far from traditional.
A dirndl is a 19th-century style of Alpine dress with a close-fitting bodice and wide pleated skirt. Join the millions who descend on Munich each year for Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer festival, and you’ll see one worn on every corner.
Together with technical fabric experts GORE-TEX, we’ve reinvented the dirndl.
Utilizing surplus GORE-TEX fabrics and the dirndl-making expertise of Lodenfrey, we created three one-of-one dirndls and two matching jackets.
“Finding the perfect GORE-TEX fabrics with a pleasant feel, reliable water repellency, and harmonious colors was a challenge, but also a great source of inspiration,” says Wibke Rolofs, from GORE-TEX’s fabrics technical design team, and Valentina Savi, who runs global lifestyle communication. “Together with our design team, pattern makers, and tailors, we approached the task with care and passion, discovering innovative ways to combine the technical properties of GORE-TEX with the exquisite craftsmanship of dirndl making.”
The result is a series of weatherproof (and beerproof) dirndls made in the image of high-performance outdoor gear. Reflective detailing, waterproof zips, and lightweight materials all make these bow-tied dresses into relatively functional pieces of outdoor clothing.
“If waterproof, windproof, breathable comfort can discreetly elevate a centuries-old festive garment, then no category is off limits,” says Rolofs and Savi. “The conversation around ‘protection’ can evolve from surviving harsh weather to preserving culture, extending garment life, and enriching everyday experiences — territory we are eager to keep exploring together.”
The GORE-TEX x Lodenfrey x Highsnobiety collaboration is available to shop now at Lodenfrey in Munich and online at the Highsnobiety Shop as part of our expansive Oktoberfest collection.
