A large group of people dressed in festive costumes have gathered in a bar in central Oslo, despite the sun shining over the capital. Apart from the fact that those present are in a good mood, they also have another thing in common: They are all part of a sewing trend. The party costume event organized by Fæbrik brought together many sewing enthusiasts. Photo: Ingrid Nedrebø / news More and more people are sewing their own, freely composed party costumes. The trends have created debate, and receive both praise and criticism. But the bunad has been out on a winter night before. Bunaden’s mother We turn back the clock to when Oslo was called Christiania and Norway was in union with Sweden. At the end of the 19th century, a certain lady named Hulda started a knitting project of which she had no idea the ripple effects. That the project will make her the “mother of the house”, she can only dream of. But the goal Hulda has set herself is very radical: She wants to take the old folk costume into a new, modern era. Hulda Garborg wearing bunad from Hallingdal. She was an enterprising woman who, in addition to being a pioneer in folk dance, bunad use and the women’s struggle, was an author, publicist and campaigner. Photo: Eivind Enger / National Library Starting from folk costumes from Hallingdal, she embarks on “project bunad”. In order to reach the finish line, she has to find out which elements from the older costume traditions can continue and which must be scrapped. Wanted to lose her hair Hulda had ideas and thoughts that were seen as very modern in her time, says Bjørn Sverre Hol Haugen, first conservator at the Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo. Bjørn Sverre Hol Haugen knows most there is to know about bunads and Norwegian costume customs. In addition, he is the author behind the Norsk Bunadslexikon. Photo: Ingrid Nedrebø / news – For example, Garborg saw how inhibiting it was for women to wear a corset. Hulda created bodices to fit the female body, not the corset. In that way, she fought women’s battles through dress code. Hulda simplified the suits, adapted them to new uses, changed the fit, but also created completely new undergarments. She was in many ways free in her work, at the same time as she was very concerned that it should be anchored in the old. Hol Haugen points to one choice that was particularly free: – Hulda was afraid that her wavy, dark hair, of which she was so proud, would be ruined by the tight hairdo that belonged to the hat. Therefore, she replaced it with a simplified hat so that everyone could see her hair. Garborg almost designed new bunads based on elements from the old dress custom. Here we see the typical Hulda Garborg bunad with embroidery and wool fabric. When she met others on her way, she guided them to make their own bunads linked to their hometown. Photo: Ingrid Nedrebø / news A forgotten name with a living legacy Hulda Garborg set a standard for bunad use over 100 years ago. The way we use bunad today comes largely from her, says Hol Haugen. Nevertheless, he is seen as a forgotten national hero, but who, according to the first conservator, lives on in other ways. – I think there is a clear line directly from Hulda Garborg’s ideas from the 1890s to today’s bunads joy and diversity. Her interest in making something herself has a very clear root in her ideas. In the same way that Hulda in her time adapted the bunad to the female body, today the bunad and party costume customs are challenged in new ways and adapted to our times. Nico Scharning Gram in modern party costume. Photo: Ingrid Nedrebø / news Back in Bjørvika in Oslo on a sunny May day, news talks to Nico Scharning Gram. She is one of those who has used trousers in her party costume. – It’s because I don’t like wearing skirts. Then it’s nice to find something that fits what I like to go with, as well as challenge the classic men’s and women’s models. Short path from party dress to bunad Together with Nico in Bjørvika, there are several people who have discovered the joy of creating and sewing something themselves. Gjertrud Stange Rasmussen is one of them. She believes that the path from sewing a party costume to sewing a bunad is much shorter than if one had not had experience of sewing a party costume. Gjertrud Stange Rasmussen (without the back) gets a lot of praise for the work she has put into her party costume. Photo: Ingrid Nedrebø / news – You learn a lot from sewing and putting together an entire party costume. Suddenly, it may happen that someone gets up to a knitting project! Bjørn Sverre Hol Haugen believes that there is something to be learned from the forgotten national hero when one takes out the sewing machine. – We have to get rid of the fear of trying practical handicraft work. Yes to everyone who wants to venture forward with sewing something themselves! What do you think Hulda would think of the party dress trend? – It is difficult to get into her head, but I think she would cheer it up. She wasn’t very strict!
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Hulda Garborg’s modern legacy – news Culture and entertainment
