Jubilee

In April I started sewing a new summer style Sámi Costume for myself. It's been ready for few weeks. Today is the big day for it. At work we have the 80th jubilee of foundation. The feast start at 2 pm with coffee & cake and continues with program at 3 pm. So, the dress code is not evening dress, neither cocktail, but not to mention casual. It needs to be festive but not too much. 

That's why I chose unformal Sámi summer costume style. It is a great option for very occasion from concerts and birthday parties to more formal moments where your traditional woollen or silk Sámi costume would be too official for the dress code.

Anyway, I wanted to use traditional fabric because it is 80th jubilee feast. That is why I chose Flemish style flower printed fabric with modern touch because I used tricot/jersey for the costume and satin for the decoration. Woollen fabric I used only for the front shield.

At this corner of the world Flemish fabrics are usually mistaken to be called Russian because they arrived to Finland mostly via Russian trade routes. But they are as Flemish as other similar fabrics used elsewhere in Europe. Manufactured in Flemish region of Europe.

Actually, I chose the final print for my costume fabric because of this traditional woollen shawl I have inherit almost two decades ago. The new costume needed to match with this scarf. Now it has got new fringe of 100% wool (tex 28 x 2). It has taken for hours to get it done but every minute was done by love and patience for the craft making, but also with the love and respect for the past generation. If following the tradition, it is important not to place too thick fringe even you'd like to add some extra with modern touch. 

Also this style of shawls are often called Russian but actually the print and design comes from Ukranian and Slavic regions/nations. Over 100 years ago there was an awakening of collection national costumes and nationality idea. Folk costumes were not used by the upper class. They collected samples and ideas from lower social class (farmers, artisans, serfs) and appropriated them. That was when happened (again) the cultural appropriation, which -unfortunately- is not a modern phenomenon but has appeared every now and then during the fashion history. That's why also Ukranian, Slavic and Flemish elements are nowadays -at least somewhere- celled Russians even they are not.

So, why I then have Flemis print in my Sámi costume and Slavic print in shawl? Because my ancestors didn't make printed fabrics but when it came possible, they bought them from peddlers and at fairs, and started to sew prettier & lighter summer costumes and shawls. That's how they turn out to be part of summer dressing among Easter Sámi nations living in Kola peninsula region.

Jeweler is a part of feast dress code. I do have my traditional silver and bronze items. But I have also something else. Because the feast is not "evening dress coded" I am not going to wear my Sámi head wear (=hat) I still need to tie up my hair because I am married woman who is also a granny. That's why I am going to use this tie made of leather, mallard's feathers and silver thread. (We've eaten the mallard already long time ago.)

Traditionally my Sámi tribe has used organic materials for jewelry because they were poor but very skillful craft makers. Only nowadays silver has became more popular in our jewelry when the wealth has increased since the wars.  

Around my waist I am going to tie up this new tablet weave band I recently made.