Our Best of German Fest 2014

This year at German Fest Milwaukee we met a ton of new people and had a wonderful time. The weather cooperated (for the most part) and everything went really smoothly from set up Thursday to the final tear down on Monday!











Three things stood out most! So here is our "Best of German Fest Milwaukee" 2014

#1- Schnitzel on a Stick!!

We met the Graf family who own the SCHNITZELs & GIGGLES food truck. They were parked right across from our booth and we had a great time with them. Not only was their food amazing (the Schnitzel was probably the best I've ever had and their fries were soooooooo good!!) but the family was too! Their energy was contagious and it made "going to work" at German Fest that much more fun! Check out their website by clicking here and be sure to like them on Facebook!






#2- CHIKERIA!

I had been in contact with Sonja from CHIKERIA for a few weeks prior to German Fest working on a custom design for her to wear on stage. Finally meeting her on the Friday of German Fest was so exciting, but what was more exciting was seeing my dirndls on stage! She wore her custom dirndl on Friday and Sunday nights and she wore the "Tell-Tale Heart" dirndl on Saturday night. I was totally geeking out and I felt so proud to have my work on the Harley Stage at German Fest. (probably not many designer's idea of fame… but I'm pumped about it!)

#3- The Footsie Wootsie Foot Vibrators!

Working German Fest is tough on the ol' feeties… we are on our feet from 8am-1am and so by Sunday, we are ready for a serious foot massage. Luckily German Fest has these strange foot massager things all over so we decided to give them a try. For 25 cents you get about a minute of ridiculously weird foot vibrating action and it worked! Our feet felt much better… for about 30 minutes and then they hurt again, but it was so fun! We made sure Meagan from SCHNITZELs & GIGGLES tried it too because the feeling is hard to describe and it's just too funny!

And the top seller this weekend… you could probably guess… The Limited Edition "Weltmeister" Dirndl! We still have a few left, but the beautiful yellow dirndl was hands down the best seller of the weekend.

Well, that was one busy weekend down… are on to the next. We are setting up tonight for the Edelwiess 100 Jähriges Jubiläum this weekend! We will be a vendor along with a few others for this wonderful celebration of the oldest Schuhplattler Verein in the country!

Be sure to follow Rare Dirndl on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to see pictures from the weekend and keep up with all the fun goings on.

TTFN ta ta for now!

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When I saw this, I almost screamed! Rare Dirndl are ALWAYS made in the USA!

Well…. last week, it was brought to my attention by Debra from Trachten-Quelle in Canada, that there is a Rare Dirndl Impostor out there!

I guess I've really made it big because a Pakistani manufacturer is copying my designs. I was quite upset about the whole thing, not because they were copying my designs (it's bound to happen in this industry) but because they are so blatantly using my photograph!

I had fire running through my veins! What if people start thinking that Rare Dirndls come from a sweatshop in Pakistan?! Debra also did a little investigating for me and asked for pricing on my designs, and at the price that they are offering, there is no way that the quality can be there! It's impossible… their wholesale cost is less than the cost of just the fabrics! (not to mention that fabric is sold out… so it must be a "similar fabric") Anywooooo… before I get all riled up again about this, let's get to the good stuff!

I want to show you some details that go into a Rare Dirndl that you can't see and I'm sure that the Pakistani manufacturer is not including in their dirndls. The details that we put inside Rare Dirndls is just as important as what is on the outside. Without the inner structure: extra fusible, boning, and pressings… the dirndls wouldn't last very long, look as nice, or fit as well.

All of the dirndls have an extra layer of fabric that is fused to the center front to make it more durable. This way, when we add the extra weight of the hardware, hooks, spikes, chain etc… the center of your dirndl doesn't start tearing, ripping, or buckling under the pressure!

Another SUPER important detail that we include in our dirndls is the boning (or stays) at the center front. Along the front zipper is a type of boning that is stitched to the inside and keeps the front from collapsing.

This particular style of boning is expensive, (probably why you don't find it in cheaper dirndls) but this boning is my favorite. Sometimes after lots of wear and tear, small pieces of it may start to poke out the top, but a quick trim with scissors or filing with a nail file can fix the problem. Cheaper boning can poke out completely and once it breaks through the fabric, it creates a hole that is very difficult, if not impossible to fix.








Rare Dirndls are also pressed frequently throughout the sewing process. This is more time consuming, but really makes the final product look much more polished and more likely to stay looking fresh.

Another thing that is very important to me is that anyone who is working for Rare Dirndl, whether it be the seamstresses, the pattern makers or the window washer, is paid properly. Rare dirndls, menswear, blouses etc are all created in ethical conditions, NOT in sweatshops! (I mean the studio does get hot in the summer, but that doesn't count ;-) haha!)

The details that are inside Rare Dirndls that you can't see are what make them really great. Also, they are sewn with care! If I don't sew them myself, they are made by a local Chicago manufacturer (5 miles from the Rare Dirndl Design Studio) and these ladies are awesome! They can sew circles around me and their attention to detail is beyond impressive… that's why they're the only people I trust to make Rare Dirndls!

So there you have it, what makes a Rare Dirndl… well… RARE! If you ever have any questions about Rare Dirndls, feel free to send an e-mail or give the studio a call and we'll answer your questions as best we can. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram to get an inside look at the daily goings on!

Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? 
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Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight: Rachel Rabun

Rachel Rabun - Denver, CO

My Sister and I at the GABF (Great American Beer Festival)

Wearing our new Rare Dirndls at the Munich Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany was a trip I had been planning for over a year. We had the tickets, the flights, the hotels, but I forgot one major aspect, the clothes! I contacted Erika about a month prior to leaving for Oktoberfest and in that time she was able to create custom dirndls for myself and my sister. Within a few days, Erika had emailed me fabric ideas, layouts of embroidery work, and beautiful drawings of the dirndl design and a few weeks later I had the beautiful dirndls.

We love the custom embroidery on our dirndls

My husband, Zach, had been pushing for Oktoberfest in Munich for a few years. As a brewer, it is a must do. We are currently in the process of opening Mockery Brewing in Denver, Colorado and targeting Spring/Summer 2014 for our open date. Mockery will be located in the RiNo (River North) district of Denver. We are opening on a 15 bbl system and will be brewing beers that make a mockery of antiquated purity laws. Mockery aims to make a mockery of anything too serious by providing a laid back environment including video games, yard games, funny art work, and mockumentary movie nights.

The dirndls were a fantastic way to incorporate a little Mockery into our Oktoberfest adventures. Three of the four owners of Mockery Brewing were able to make this trip along with four friends. We spent five days drinking beer at the Schottenhamel and Hofbrau tents at Oktoberfest and numerous biergartens around Munich. It was an experience we will never forget!

Thank you to Erika for helping us create our vision of Mockery dirndls. Oktoberfest would not have felt the same without our Rare Dirndls!

We love the mix of modern and traditional that's at the core of our dirndls. 

Do you want to be next month's Rare Dirndl Customer Spotlight? As the winner you will recieve a $50 Coupon Code for any online purchase, a feature on the Rare Dirndl website and blog, and a gift package worth approx $100!! Click here to get all the details!

See Terms and Conditions for complete rules

Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? 
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Newest Member of the Rare Dirndl Team: Meet Samantha!

I'm so excited to welcome Samantha Petkofski to the Rare Dirndl team. She is my new right hand lady and helps me with everything from sewing and cutting to research and marketing.

Samantha is currently a junior at Dominican University. She is studying apparel design in addition to biology-chemistry. As a child, she learned how to sew by watching her Oma design and create dirndls for all of the girls in their family. In high school, Samantha won "Most Outstanding" at a sectional competition through the FCCLA organization for constructing her own dirndl. She is very excited to be a part of the Rare Dirndl team, where she can continue to utilize her passion for sewing as well as pay homage to her heritage.

She's also excited about the release of the new "Nevermore" Collection next week. It combines fashion forward details, elegant fabrics, and some sexy new silhouettes. Check out the new video to get a behind the scenes look at the photo shoot and a sneak peek at the new styles. 

Ever wonder what dirndl style you are? 
Take our dirndl quiz and find out! Simply type in your email here