Outrage over fake 'cleavage-revealing Oktoberfest outfits' which Bavarian prince says degrades historic festival
19 September 2023, 12:39 | Updated: 19 September 2023, 12:45
Fake folk costumes that let festivalgoers flaunt their bodies degrade the cultural value of Oktoberfest, a Bavarian prince has claimed.
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Prince of Bavaria, Luitpold Rupprecht Heinrich, 72, whose great-grandfather was the last Bavarian King, said that cheaply made costumes are turning the historic festival into a "carnival."
Heinrich said: "When I see Chinese-made folk costumes made of plastic, pseudo-costumes with tight dirndls, then the whole thing becomes a carnival.
"We all talk about cultural appropriation today. Here it's happening to us Bavarians!"
Heinrich told a local radio station: "If the whole thing is just about wearing a costume to get drunk in . . . you lose a lot of culture and tradition in the process."
Gents are often seen in lederhosen, while ladies wear 'dirndls', a traditional dress that consists of a low necklined bodice, a blouse and a high-waisted skirt.
Traditionalists have argued that in recent years, Oktoberfest, which has been held in Munich for 213 years, has become less of a celebration of Bavarian culture, and more a chance for people to drink huge quantities of beer and wear low-cut and cheap fancy dress.
