The Bavarian Lederhosen, initially worn by farmers and miners in Southern Germany, is now a fashion statement at Oktoberfest. With the increasing demand for Lederhosen, different designs, styles, and quality are available, catering to everyone's needs. Lederhosen can primarily be distinguished into regular and premium based on the quality. Premium lederhosen is the only choice for anyone wanting to have traditional Bavarian attire in their wardrobe for a lifetime, costing thousands of euros.
Difference Between Premium and Regular Lederhose
Premium lederhosen possesses some prominent features, making them a unique type in the world of Bavarian tracht for men.
1. The Use of Different Leathers
Normal lederhosen is crafted from cowhide leather or goatskin, known for its durability. However, premium lederhosen takes things a step further by utilizing deerskin. This prized leather has several advantages:
- The Deerskin is more supple and softer than all the leather types used in Bavarian shorts
- Despite its softness, deerskin offers impressive strength and tear resistance.
- Compared to cowhide, deerskin is lighter, making your premium lederhosen feel practically weightless while maintaining its structure.
2. The Exquisite Detailing of Lederhosen
The hallmarks of premium lederhosen extend beyond the material itself. Here's where the true artistry comes to light. Traditional lederhosen might use plastic or imitation horn buttons. Premium options, however, feature genuine horn buttons only to give a touch of rustic elegance and a connection to the garment's traditional roots. High-quality deerskin is naturally breathable, eliminating the need for an additional lining. This enhances comfort and allows for a cleaner, more streamlined look.
Premium lederhosen often showcases reversible stitching- a signature of fine craftsmanship. This means the stitching looks equally flawless on both sides, highlighting the attention to detail. Many premium lederhosen have a beautiful antique color gradient achieved through a special waxing process. This creates a rich, aged appearance that adds depth and character to the leather.
3. Buttonholes and Traditional Motifs
Normal lederhosen might have simple buttonholes. Premium options, however, elevate the look with intricate embroidery around the buttonholes. Premium Lederhosen has expensive, high-quality embroidery that regular Lederhosen lacks. These leather breeches are not punctuated but hand-pricked to create appealing motifs. The motifs on the premium lederhosen are usually traditional, like oak leaves, edelweiss flowers, or coats of arms. Both the modern contrasting color embroidery and single-tone prevalent in the lederhosen.
4. The Specific Tanning Technique
Premium lederhosen is made from leather and undergoes a special chamois tanning process. Unlike chrome tanning, which is quicker and simpler, chamois tanning takes about three months and demands a lot of skill and commitment from the tanner. It involves using only natural materials, resulting in a leather that feels very soft. Chamois-tanned leather is also great because it lets air through, helps regulate temperature, lasts a long time, and develops a lovely, worn look.
5. The Unique Seam
One prominent characteristic of intricately designed and artisan-crafted lederhosen is the “Sackler seam.” This distinctive feature involves stitching the leather edges to remain visible from the outside, often incorporating light-colored leather strips between the edges for aesthetic appeal.
6. Price Tag
Since premium lederhosen is only crafted from deerskin, it costs more than normal ones. Deerskin is only used in designer products, making them statement pieces. Deerskin premium lederhosen can easily cost somewhere between 1000 and 2000 euros. The detailing on the leather breeches influences the price.
Bottom Line!
Premium Lederhosen differs from regular Bavarian Lederhosen in many aspects, including the type of leather used, the detailing, the embroidered buttonhole, specific tanning, and unique seams. All the unique elements make the leather breeches exquisite enough to be sold at a higher price point.