Fashion in the GDR: Beauty in the uniform gray
About 100 guests counted the event “From the crown of the head to the sole – beauty in the GDR” on April 27, 2023, including about 10 brave men.
Dr. Stefanie Eisenhuth and Vivian Seidel from the PARI Research Institute in Geisa, the contemporary witnesses Gusti Spiegel, Edith Hildebrand and Manuela Henkel were brilliant.
There was a lot of laughter. The evening was highly interesting and could have gone on for hours longer in the discussion that followed.
West always a role model
For fashion in the GDR, the West was always a role model. But especially for the youth, the GDR jeans pants from the youth fashion were an unattractive fake. Those who had Western connections could hope for Western parcels with fancy clothes or store in the Intershop with Western money.
Exquisit too expensive for most
To counter the longing look to the West, the Exquisit trading company was developed with highly fashionable, but also high-priced collections. But most people could not afford it.
Own initiatives in demand
However, much was born in self-initiatives to design and sew their own clothes. In Geisa, the carnival has a long tradition and here have always been – until today – for the costume ball and the Rose Monday parade many very creative costumes sewn by themselves.
And those who could not sew themselves, had a mother or grandmother who was skilled and creative.
In any case, this discussion evening brought back many memories of the earlier times!
The event was organized by the Geisa Point Alpha Research Institute PARI in cooperation with the Förderverein Kunst, Kultur und Wissenschaft Geisa e. V. and the town of Geisa.
