Text and photo Laila Duran ©
I Norway there are several folk costumes that are reconstructed from old garments. These revitalized costumes are referred to as bunad in Norwegian or bygdedräkt, regional costume, in Swedish. In the regions where there was no strong tradition of folk costume new costumes were created, either modeled from single preserved garments or as free interpretations. The Hedemark bunad is one of these. It represents the costume tradition from the late 18th and early 19th centuries costume and is heavily influenced by the Rococo style with cuts and material that were very modern for the time.
The bonnet in brocaded silk, botthuve, is fastened with silk ribbons under the chin and has a silk bow in the neck. The white cotton under-lace is known as skru.
The wool damask skirt has a flower pattern and while the apron in the picture is made of black silk, a light printed cotton apron could also be used.
The bodice is shaped like a corset and it is different to most other bunad bodices. It is made in floral wool damask with leather bound basques and is laced in the front.
A jacket in 18th century style is worn over the bodice.
In the new book Scandinavian Folklore vol. II more than 700 photos shows bunads and folk costumes from Norway, Sweden and Sápmi. Please visit the website www.scandinavianfolklore.com for more information.
All text and photos are protected by Copyright.
The beauty of the Sami costumes are well known and here even the reindeers are dressed in colorful harness when pulling the sledge.
I went to Kautokeino to celebrate the confirmation of a young friend. Here she is with her very proud father, dressed in her new outfit.
It was a big day for all the young girls and boys. Family and friends filled the church. So many people attended the ceremony that every seat was taken.
Fourteen boys and girls went to confirmation on this Saturday the 31st of Mars.
When the ceremony was over everybody went outside to receive congratulations from friends and family.
The next day I started with the first photo shoot. I must say the Sami boots are irresistible …. and I could not help myself. I bought some beautiful and wonderfully warm pair of “skaller”.
I do not think there are any other place where the costumes are so beautiful, practical and wonderfully warming at the same time. No matter the temperature, sometimes it was minus 20°, the models came smiling and dressed with such elegance. These ladies are dressed in “pesk”.
Checking if the light is right. Everybody is eager to see if I got “the picture”.
Some models knows exactly how to deal with a photographer trying to be a perfectionist!
Luckily I am behind the camera and do not have to compete with these beauties. The young mother and her daughter are from the Finnish part of Sápmi. In the third book there will be some Finnish folk costumes as well as Swedish and Norwegian.
On the third day of the photo shoot a dream came trough. Going with the reindeer keepers on to the mountain in wintertime has been something I have wanted to do for years. Thanks to my friends and the great hospitality shown to me, I will be able to show you some quite unique pictures in the third and last book in the series. To all the people of Kautokeino that helped me: Thank you!!!!