Traditional Lanz costumes: Almost as old as the festival
On the occasion of its 100th company anniversary, SW met with company boss Willi Lanz and his daughter Theresa to find out more about the success story.
Can you briefly outline the beginnings of your company’s history?
Willi Lanz: My father Willi Lanz and his siblings Josef and Gretl soon realized that when the first tourists arrived in the city of Salzburg, which was relatively insignificant at the time – Salzburg had 22,000 inhabitants at the time – a change in the range of products in the former Lanz sports store was necessary. It was their idea to prepare everyday costumes for international customers and make them socially acceptable. That was the beginning of the Lanz success story, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
How did the dirndl become socially acceptable?
Willi Lanz: The Australian fabrics for everyday dirndls were made of linen, heavy and scratchy and colorless. After my family had its origins in the Salzkammergut, where traditional costumes were already very colorful, we started there to print the colorful fabrics with designs from our designer – the famous Charlotte Foregger. Since her employment at Lanz in 1932, she has created fashionable designs, hundreds of fabric samples and today’s company emblem, the famous Lanz heart. These fabrics were and are produced exclusively for our company. Such as the Salzkammergut print, for example, where Fuschl Castle, Mondsee Castle and the Weisses Rössl on Lake Wolfgang can be seen.
Theresa Lanz: In particular, it was my godmother, Ms. Grete Lanz, who was responsible for inventing the Lanz dirndl. She made the dirndl socially acceptable through the use of fine fabrics such as velvet and silk and extravagant cuts.
What makes Trachten Lanz so special?
The patterns and designs: They copy the originality of the house, the connection with Salzburg and Austria. The uniqueness of our company, which also distinguishes us from other suppliers of traditional costumes, was also underlined by the relationship with the traditional costume designer Carl Mayr, who lives in Henndorf and whose designs stood out from the everyday range. He is also considered the inventor of the Henndorfer Trachtenjanker, a summery garment made from hand-woven peasant linen. It was only when Lanz linen was used that it became a synonym for Salzburg Festival exuberance.
Can you say something about the American company history of Trachten Lanz?
Willi Lanz: The founder Josef Lanz emigrated to America in 1932. Within a very short time he opened around 40 shops there. From Los Angeles to New York, Josef Lanz was celebrated in American gazettes as Austria’s fashion king. He was one of the richest men in America at the time. Lanz Salzburg exported a great deal to America and production was in full swing. Josef Lanz was a visionary who played a key role in popularizing the Lanz brand in America. The term “lanzy” was even created in English.
Who are your prominent customers?
Willi Lanz: There is hardly a well-known personality from culture, business, politics and sport who does not pay a visit to our shop’s festivals during their stay in Salzburg. Numerous prominent customers such as Marlene Dietrich, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Herbert von Karajan, Placido Domingo, Max Reinhardt, members of the royal families from England, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium as well as international designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Tommy Hilfiger contributed to the worldwide fame of our company.
How many branches do you have in Austria?
Willi Lanz: Currently five branches. The first shop was in Brodgasse, founded in 1922, our main shop in Schwarzstrasse was opened in 1932, then in 1933 the shop in Vienna in Kärntner Strasse, followed in 1956 in St. Gilgen, in 1964 Innsbruck and since 1989 there has been our children’s shop in Getreidegasse. The bespoke tailoring shop on Imbergstrasse in Salzburg has existed since the beginning of 1922.
Your daughter Theresa is sitting by your side. When did you join the company?
Theresa Lanz: I’ve been employed in the older company for 15 years.
Can you briefly describe your career?
Theresa Lanz: After my grandmother gave me a sewing machine at the age of five, which I used to tailor the doll clothes for my teddy bears in Lanz fabric, my path was somehow predetermined. After graduating from the fashion school in Munich, I expanded my knowledge and gained experience in America and Berlin.
In 2007 I joined my parents’ business and started in the Vienna branch, where I worked for four years. I have been here in Salzburg at my father’s side since 2011 and am responsible for the design of our collections and for sales in our main store.
As the world’s oldest traditional costume company, what does it take to stay “in fashion”?
Theresa: It takes sensitivity. When it comes to fashion, you have to be constantly present, observe trends and develop them further. Which colors are currently desired and which accessories such as bags and shoes go well with the dirndl? You can probably break through the costume with new accents. I try to bring that closer to our customers.
How is working with your father?
Theresa Lanz: Very well, because each of us has a defined position and has separate areas of responsibility.
Willi Lanz: I trust my daughter and am very proud of her because she always brings new ideas to the company.