TRANSLATING TRADITIONAL ALPINE KNIT FOR TODAY
Traditional Austrian Alpine knitwear - Tracht knitwear - was born from a human desire to decorate. Using wool, which was affordable and available in abundance, rural communities started creating highly decorative knits with colorful embroideries. These knits had the function of replacing too expensive and inaccessible jewelry.
Tracht and its recognizable shapes, colors, and decorative elements developed over centuries, with the patterns and techniques differing vastly according to the region. These variations and ever-more sophisticated knit patterns make an almost bottomless well of inspiration.
Michaela Buerger kits celebrate and transmit these traditions in a contemporary way that fits our modern lifestyle.
"I learned how to knit because my mother was knitting these beautiful traditional cardigans at home. This know-how and these aesthetics were with me throughout my childhood. For every special occasion, we dressed up in Tracht. Tracht is still very present in Austrian culture.
In my collection, I am going back to my origins and identity and sharing it in a way relevant to my customers worldwide. " Michaela Buerger