Oktoberfest events drive demand for secondhand traditional clothing

Oktoberfest events are boosting demand for secondhand dirndls and lederhosen at a shop in a former wine tavern in Bad Vöslau, in the Baden district, ORF reports. Swiss-born owner Therese Witzmann-Merian has been selling used traditional clothing there for 10 years.

More than 1,500 dirndls now hang in the former tavern, where customers once bought sausages. Prices start at about 80 euros, and shoppers can also find accessories to match their outfits.

Witzmann-Merian started the business after her daughter needed several dirndls for a job at a hotel reception. Because her daughter had to pay for the clothing herself, mother and daughter began looking for secondhand traditional garments. What began as a search became a hobby and eventually a business.

Demand for lederhosen is growing

The shop initially focused on dirndls, but demand for secondhand lederhosen has also risen sharply in recent years. Men who accompanied women during dirndl shopping increasingly wanted to try on clothing themselves.

“Men complained that I only thought about the women and not about them,” Witzmann-Merian said.

Oktoberfest events are currently bringing more customers to the shop. Last Saturday, four men tried on lederhosen at the same time after arriving straight from work as paramedics, she said. They advised one another during what she described as a “lederhosen festival.”

Quality comes first

Some of the dirndls are nearly new, while others are older models. Witzmann-Merian said the older garments are often particularly well made. She buys only clothing from traditional-wear shops or dirndls that have been sewn by hand. Cheap traditional clothing bought online is not accepted, nor are dirndls she does not like herself.

She said she can tell immediately whether a dirndl suits its wearer by looking at her eyes. If a woman stops adjusting the garment and dances in front of the mirror, Witzmann-Merian calls it the “dirndl look.”

When the business was still a hobby, all its income went to charity. Witzmann-Merian now says it can no longer be run alongside a full-time job, but she continues to donate part of her earnings. Her prices, she said, are intended to remain fair enough for people who otherwise could not afford the clothing.