22 January 2023

Gina Drewes' interpretations of the traditional Carinthian dirndl, originally developed by Austrian artist Leopold Resch in 1911

Recently, designer Gina Drewes presented new interpretations of one of the traditional dirndls of the southernmost Austrian federal state Carinthia with a short snippet of the state's costume history from 1911 when painter and trachten researcher Leopold Resch developed the so-called 'Carinthian dirndl'. The term 'trachten' denotes traditional clothing, costumes. In Carinthia exist different designs of the dirndl which was traditionally developed as a sign of the origin of the population of specific areas. The custom can be compared to the use of Scottish tartans. Trachten 'codes' are practical for representing one's own region at folk or festive events. Also the Carinthian lake Wörthersee, where Gina Drewes runs since 2018 an own boutique in Pörtschach, has a distinctive trachten dress code. But it was not the Wörthersee dirndl which was re-interpreted by Gina Drewes. The designer has elaborated a new view of the 'Carinthian Dirndl' over three generations - as long as this special dirndl design exists.

When searching on Google about Leopold Resch, the creator of the 'Kärntner Dirndl', information about the artist is shown with links to several websites such as an exhibition that took place in 2010 at the Carinthian castle Schloss Albeck. In conversation with ChatGPT, it turned out that the information about Leopold Resch as designer of the Carinthian dirndl is part of the knowledge of the AI. Only that Resch was mainly an artist and researcher of traditional costumes, as published on several websites, is not yet part of the database.

"The information that Leopold Resch was a designer comes from my training database. He is known for designing the Carinthian blue-dot dirndl and is considered one of the most significant designers of this traditional attire." (The answer to the question "Where did you get the information that Leopold Resch was a designer?" was generated by ChatGPT today on chat.openai.com/chat.)

When searching via Google, several sources for closer information about Leopold Resch appear such as a Wikipedia entry or links to culture organizations with educational mission such as the Kärntner Bildungswerk which publishes on tracht-in-kaernten.at an own website exclusively dedicated to the trachten in Carinthia. The website opens with a map showing where in the federal state which dirndl variations of top, skirt, blouse and apron are worn. The oversight on the welcome page starts with the Kärntner Sommerdirndl (Carinthian summer dirndl). The dirndl is described closer with brief history concerning the design by Leopold Resch and the information that the design is also known as 'Resch-Dirndl'.

Image: In January 2023, Gina Drewes presented the 'Generations Dirndl' as a new interpretation of the Kärntner Dirndl with images shot by photographer Seppi Dabringer of the designer, her mother Bernadette and grandmother Herta. The apron was left off in the designs for her mother and grandmother. At the dress for herself, the designer wrapped the apron as a sash around the waist. The Generations Dirndl are made by Gina Drewes on request. Photo: © Seppi Dabringer.