Pillow Talk with Fashion Designer Tracy Hauenschild

Ekaterina Ossipova Bolte for Pillow & Pepper: Tracy Hauenschild, the Pinzgau region near Salzburg is not entirely unknown in the world of fashion. As early as 1954, a traditional alpine jacket from the Pinzgau inspired Coco Chanel’s famous four-pocket tweed jacket. What motivated you to start a fashion label in the Pinzgau region?

Tracy Hauenschild: After I had successfully graduated from the fashion school in Hallein, completed my vocational training with Peek & Cloppenburg in Zell am See, and worked for the apparel store Gwandhaus Gössl, it became clear to me that I wanted to go my own way. It was love that made me discover the Pinzgau as my adopted home. There was no doubt in my mind that I would build up an internationally active fashion company from Zell am See. In my eyes, the lively tourism year-round makes this lakeside community the perfect combination of a small alpine town and multicultural influences.

You managed to rid traditional alpine fashion of its musty image with your “Mirabell Plummer” label, and polarise public opinion with your collections. What is your inspiration for a new collection?

Tracy Hauenschild: You are quite right, Mirabell Plummer does have a polarising effect. Its use of large bold images in the front and back parts makes the fashion of Mirabell Plummer very conspicuous. Anyone donning these things, male or female, needs robust self-esteem to wear our clothes on a daily basis. I get my inspiration when travelling the world over, and when browsing old books on traditional alpine garb. I try to re-interpret elements used in traditional costumes of the past.

What are the trends in traditional alpine fashion for 2018?

Tracy Hauenschild: In recent years, traditional attire has experienced a boom, and has made a comeback as regular workday wear in Austria. I continue to believe that the major trend has a lot to do with the quality selection. Rather than settling for “plastic dirndl” made of synthetic fibre, people follow a manifest trend toward natural materials like cotton, wool and leather. Today’s customers want to know where their traditional costumes were made. I personally find this trend particularly exciting because it counters low-cost productions. We at Mirabell Plummer manufacture all of our models in our studio in Zell am See. Clients can come by to visit and see for themselves where and by whom his or her new clothes are made.

What would you consider a good occasion for wearing traditional attire, other than for a performance of “Everyman” during the Salzburg festival?

Tracy Hauenschild: Let me turn the question around and ask you back: Is there any occasion that would be unsuitable for wearing traditional attire? It is all a question of how best to combine your various options. Of course, even I won’t show up at work in a dirndl with apron, a matching cardigan and traditional brogues on a normal weekday. But the evolving trend has made it possible to combine traditional clothes in wonderful ways with modern fashion. So, a casual pair of denims and a simple shirt can definitely agree with a traditional alpine jacket.

Hollywood loves Salzburg. In “Knight and Day,” the city served as set for Cameron Diaz and Tom Cruise. What do you love about Salzburg?

Tracy Hauenschild: I love Salzburg’s cityscape as a whole with its beautiful ancient buildings, mixed with the urban features of our day and age. The city will inspire you every day of the week, and you will keep finding new things to discover if you walk its streets with open eyes.

Do you have a favourite location in Salzburg?

Tracy Hauenschild: I do, my favourite place in Salzburg is Mozartplatz. The square has a very special appeal for me. One of my greatest ambitions is to open a store here one day.

Where in Salzburg would we find you for after-work drinks?

Tracy Hauenschild: My favourite place for having an after-work drink among friends is Café Mozart. I really enjoy the atmosphere of sitting outside and watching people come and go.

Which hotel in Salzburg would you recommend to your friends?

Tracy Hauenschild: The Hotel Goldgasse. I consider it the perfect example of a cosy boutique hotel. Hidden behind the façade of a historic building from the 14th century, it is a true gem on this street whose name it shares. The rooms are named after well-known operas, testimony to the fact that music and the Salzburg Festival are as much part of the city as Mirabell Palace. Each of the 16 rooms has one entire wall decorated with large prints of the Salzburg Festival taken by Italian photographer Luigi Caputo, which creates a unique music inspired ambience.

Do you have a favourite restaurant in Salzburg?

Tracy Hauenschild: I do, I love the Riedenburg. I appreciate the great cuisine there as much as the attentive service you get.

What should a person not miss when in Salzburg?

Tracy Hauenschild: Be sure to visit the M32 on top of the Mönchsberg. You get wonderful food here, they have a great bar, and the view of the mountains across the city from the patio is a dream. If you are lucky enough to be in town in December, your plans should include a visit to the Christmas fair at the St Peter abbey. The special atmosphere, the magnificent decoration in the inner courtyard, paired with the brass players in the evening is indescribable. And of course you should under no circumstances forget to pay a visit to the Mirabell Plummer store on Universitätsplatz. (laughs)

What should everyone take back home when returning from Salzburg?

Tracy Hauenschild: A little souvenir, of course, will evoke memories of good times. It could be anything really, such as a dirndl dress, Mozart Ball chocolates from the time-honoured confectionery Schatz, or a marble Gugelhupf cake from Tomaselli. Here, in the city’s oldest coffeehouse, you will find an assortment of cakes and strudels that will make your mouth water.