By Nora Höfler
Designer and entrepreneur Sarah Tack from Munich talks with Bridal Times about her business “Dirndl Liebe”, Oktoberfest trends in 2019/2020 and what makes her Dirndl’s so special.
Frau Tack, where does the traditional Dirndl come from, and what is its historical significance?
The classic Dirndl has its origins in Bavaria and Austria. Towards the middle of the 19th century, the traditional dress was worn for working in the countryside. In the last twenty years, the dress has come back into fashion and is a “MUST” for the Oktoberfest in Munich.
Has traditional clothing always been worn for weddings?
The dirndl has a long and traditional meaning. There is a distinction between a classic dirndl and festive dirndl. The elaborately crafted dirndls have always been worn in the southern region on special occasions and also at weddings. The wedding dress used to be black in color and it’s unthinkable today to wear a black bridal dirndl.
How did you decide for wedding dirndl’s in particular?
It was important to me to create a one-of-a-kind dirndl. For a long time I thought about how a very special and unique dirndl could look like, one that I would wear for my own wedding. Covering the dirndl bodice with lace and tailoring a lace apron was the sparkling idea for the exclusive wedding dirndl collection for Dirndl Liebe.
Do you remember the first dirndl that kindled your love for this tradtional dress?
It was during the fitting of my first Dirndl Liebe creation in purple-gold that triggered the “dirndl-love” feeling, which happens to every woman when she has found her PERFECT dirndl. I often hear from my customers that they don’t want to take their dirndl off once they have put it on, and this is the moment when I know that this she has found her one-of-a-kind dirndl.
You have been running your company since 2012 and are also head designer. How do you combine the role of the business woman and designer in your daily work?
For the creative part, I like to consciously take time and a bit of peace, so that I can feel the individual fabrics and take a closer look. The ideas and dirndl compositions arise from there. It is important that I consciously take time for both roles. But I have to admit that sometimes it’s a challenge.
How has your business “Dirndl Liebe” evolved since its inception?
A company undergoes through a lot of changes in the early years and it’s important to constantly improve and strengthen the pillars of the business. Our portfolio has been greatly expanded in recent years, in which men also get amazing traditional clothing. Furthermore, we have put the focus on the various accessories such as blouses and brooches, providing a wide selection for every woman. Of course, a lot has been done in terms of personnel. Meanwhile, I employ 10 people who take care of all areas with me.
Dirndl Liebe has three collections to offer. Classic dirndl, curvy and couture dirndl. Can you briefly explain the differences?
It is important to me to show how multifaceted the Dirndl Liebe brand is. The classic dirndls are made of wool, silk or velvet which is inspired by the traditional dirndl and can be worn well in everyday life or autumn festivals.
The couture dirndls are perfect for weddings with luscious borders, pearls and lots of lace that defines the elegant Dirndl design. For special occasions or for those who want to wear a dream dirndl of lace and silk. These unique items are also suitable.
For the Curvy-Line, I would like to bring attention to the feminine sizes up to 48/50 in size, which we stock at the Munich store. A dirndl is just perfect for all feminine sizes.
Do you have a specific target group, a certain bride in mind, for whom you are planning a wedding dirndl?
The variety of different types of women inspires me. I love the different personalities of the individulas who come into my store. The magic of finding the perfect bridal dirndl for the bride where she is happy, sheds tears and even says she does not want to take it off, makes my job one of the most beautiful in the world.
Do only women from Munich wear a dirndl as their wedding dress?
Since appearing on the German version of the “Say Yes to the Dress” TV show, many brides now come from Austria, Switzerland or Lichtenstein. We even had brides from Sweden and Belgium. The wedding dirndl is becoming more and more of a trend and is a beautiful dress, which can be worn again and again in the long term.
Tell us about the latest Oktoberfest Trends 2019. Which materials and colors will we see, especially for this autumn?
This year we will once again see more traditional fabrics and cuts. A classic green will be strongly presented this year. It is important in my view that every woman finds her personal dream dirndl and pays attention to her own personal style rather than be too focused on trends. Velvet and wool will play an important role this year. With a different apron or brooch, you can always bring any dirndl by Dirndl Liebe up to the latest trend.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I’m inspired by the fabrics I choose. Haptics and the variety of the possibilities set no limits and I can thus let my creativity run wild. I try to capture the current fashion trends and to put them on the Dirndl collection. I like to sit in cafes in Italy during the summer and let myself be inspired by the people and their dress style.
How do you create a new collection?
Often I have a new design idea a year and a half before the collection is made. The implementation of these ideas usually takes a lot of time, because it first has to be tried out and put on sample dirndl. These dirndls will be further developed and after about nine months a new dirndl design is born. Usually it takes the same amount of time again until the new design is adopted.
How has the cut of a dirndl changed within the last years or even decades?
There are classic dirndl cuts that remain timeless and other cuts are subject to fashion trends. The stand-up collar has been strong in recent years and currently modern are the high-necked Dirndl’s. This look can also be implemented with a high closed blouse.
What motivates you to design a new Dirndl every single time?
The company Dirndl Liebe stands for individuality and modern design. Women can always be sure to find a dirndl for which she will alway receive compliments. It is my own claim to always offer my customers something new and extraordinary that you will not get from any other dirndl designer.
You can choose from over 170 completed unique items, which are then adjusted to the dimensions of the bride. Is every single dirndl in the world unique? That our unique selling point and my promise. At Dirndl Liebe, you can be sure that every Dirndl is a unique design in the world in size, color and cut.
Dirndl Liebe also supplies bridal retailers with designs. Is it still the case that every dirndl is unique?
There are co-operation partners, who also maintain the beautiful unique bridal dirndl in their stores. These are precisely selected in advance and the close cooperation is important to me.
How do you implement your corporate strategy?
To market individual pieces requires creativity and skill. I try to show as many Dirndl unique items on the social media channels of Dirndl Liebe, so that customers always know which Dirndl unique items are currently in the store.
How important is quality for you?
Since every dirndl is handmade, I pay particular attention to high quality. All Dirndl unique pieces have lining in the skirt, unfortunately this is very rare with most designer dirndls. Furthermore, all skirts are hand-sewn and this speaks for itself.
Where are your dirndls produced?
Production is the heart of every business. But I can reveal to you that I’m there in less than an hour by car from Munich, and I can always get a personal impression of the current production status. On the homepage you can view an image film and get a small impression of how the Dirndl unique pieces are made.
How important is sustainability to your company?
All Dirndl’s have a seam allowance of 1.5 dress sizes, as it is important to me that all my dirndls are worn on a long-term basis. The unique items are available for a lifetime, as they can be adjusted again and again depending on the weight fluctuation. It would be a great pity an item was worn for only one year.
How does this idea of sustainability express itself in your daily work routine?
In addition to the seam allowance and the long-term sustainability of the dirndl, I only order as much fabric as I need for a unique piece. When packing our dirndl, we pay attention to high-quality pink-colored bags that anyone can pick up and reuse in the long term.
Last but not least, can you tell us about Dirndl Trends for 2020?
I can tell you that there will be a whole new and very elaborate design. After the Oktoberfest 2019 I will produce the first models, so that an unprecedented design can be presented for 2020. I can’t say exact details yet, but you can be full of anticipation as these designs have never existed before.
For more information visit Dirndl Liebe.
Photos: Melanie Ulbricht von Hochzeitsfotos Ulbricht