As of: February 2, 2024, 7:46 a.m
By: Yasina Hipp
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Whether evening dress, animal costume or 80s outfit: Breuer costumes have been offering the entire range for over 70 years.
Managing director Waltraud Breuer knows this year's trends.
Munich - A large fox's head peeks out between sequins and silk and next to a white Elvis suit stands knight's armor with a lowered visor and lance.
In Waltraud Breuer's costume collection, even the biggest fan of dressing up will have their eyes lit up.
“Many customers are invited to theme parties and don’t really feel like it because they don’t know what to wear,” says Waltraud Breuer. “Once they find their costume, they leave our store with a beaming smile and full of anticipation.”
A few days before Carnival there is a lot of hustle and bustle at Costumes Breuer on Hohenzollernstrasse.
Munich residents seek advice and inspiration from Waltraud Breuer for Carnival, Venice Carnival and the Vienna Opera Ball.
Because she knows what's popular this year.
In Munich for 74 years: 20,000 costumes on offer
Her parents founded the costume rental company in Munich-Schwabing in 1950, and the shop has been on Hohenzollernstrasse since 1976.
Waltraud Breuer grew up among costumes, evening wear and traditional costumes.
She has been running the business for 31 years.
Their collection includes a whopping 20,000 costumes.
“A costume usually doesn’t just consist of one part.
A rococo dress is made up of up to ten individual parts,” explains Breuer.
Since the rooms on Hohenzollernstrasse wouldn't be enough for all of this, there is a large warehouse outside the city: "All the Santa Clauses, Santa Clauses, dirndls and lederhosen are currently stored there."
Munich residents are looking for costumes for Venice, international guests want dirndls and lederhosen
During the Oktoberfest, Waltraud Breuer's team lends out the Bavarian costume primarily to international customers who come to Munich to visit.
Now, during the carnival season, people from Munich are more likely to come into business.
“Many people from the city go to masked balls in Venice and then come to us beforehand to get dressed,” says Breuer.
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So do two young men who know exactly what they want.
The two of them helped themselves to Waltraud Breuer last year.
The only thing missing from the pompous blue velvet jacket is the right pair of trousers.
“Actually it should be tights, but knee breeches would also work,” Waltraud Breuer advises the two.
Carnival trends 2024: Elvis, Marilyn and paintings by Gustav Klimt
She also dresses politicians for Carnival in Veitshöchheim.
She shouldn't reveal who exactly.
But what the costume expert can reveal: the trends for Carnival 2024. “That always depends on the parties and this year it’s mainly Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe,” says Breuer.
Two of the white full-body suits with flares and the corresponding platform boots are already waiting to be picked up.
Emperors and kings and everything about the 80s always work.
But there will be an absolute novelty in 2024: Gustav Klimt.
“People don’t dress up like a painter, but like his paintings,” says Waltraud Breuer, “and that includes a lot of make-up, which we also have in our range here.”
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Waltraud Breuer has been running the costume rental business for 31 years.
She knows what's popular this year: Elvis Presley.
© Yasina Hipp
Business owner Waltraud Breuer: “We don’t have any cheap costumes”
In recent years, made-up faces have often sparked heated debates surrounding cultural appropriation and racism.
For example, should you still dress up as an Indian for Carnival?
Various arguments speak for and against.
Waltraud Breuer has such costumes in her range, but it is important to her to emphasize: “We don't have any cheap costumes that mock or pervert ethnic groups.
Our costumes are historically correct and of high quality.” She doesn’t believe in cheap costumes that are bought online and then worn once and thrown away: “We serve a completely different clientele here.”
There are 20,000 costumes in the collection of Costumes Breuer in Munich.
© Yasina Hipp
If you are looking for all kinds of costumes from animal costumes, from the Middle Ages to the 20s to 90s, to Princess Leia or even Elvis, you will find what you are looking for at Costumes Breuer.
Advice is available on top and if the costume doesn't fit perfectly, it can be adjusted by the around 20 employees in the tailoring shop.
Waltraud Breuer herself is attending the Vienna Opera Ball this year; she chose her dress a long time ago.
But after all these years there is no favorite costume: “I love them all!”
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