Fashion Show
As part of our weekend Wilhelm Tell Festival, an ethnic fashion show is presented on Sunday
morning at 10:00 a.m. at the New Glarus Village Park. It is called an ethnic fashion show
since we feature more than just Swiss trachten. Also featured are German trachten (costumes),
Norwegian Bunads, Scottish kilts, and costumes of the Wilhelm Tell Usherettes. Most people
realize countries have unique costumes, but do not realize that areas within countries often
have distinct costumes as well. The costumes modeled at our Show are authentic, except for
the Usherette costumes. Every detail, from material to buttons to embroidery, is authentic.
The costumes are privately owned and most often worn by their owner. As the models present
their costumes, a description of them is told - where they come from, special details, etc.
The Fashion Show strives to be educational as well as entertaining.
The information gathered is based on the cumulative knowledge of contact Barb
Thacker (email) and Kaye
Gmur (email). Neither are experts,
but both are knowledgeable and have great resources to pull from to bring the Fashion
Show to life.
The Usherette costumes were created by Edwin Barlow and Julie Heirli in 1938 for the first Tell Play. Barlow was the originator of the Tell Drama in New Glarus and Heirli was a recognized authority of Swiss Costumes.
These costumes are Barlow's rendition of 13th Century Canton trachten - 13th Century being the time of the Tell story.
The first Fashion Show was produced in 1997 for the 60th Tell Festival and has continued annually since then. A few new costumes are added each year to add variety and expand the show.
Time:
Sunday August 31, 2003 from 10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
New Glarus Village Park - 4th Avenue and 2nd Street
(Downtown, immediately north of the Swiss Church)
We welcome your comments and questions. For more information write to:
Kaye Gmur: email
P.O. Box 191
New Glarus, WI 53574
USA
Barbara Thacker: email