9 February 2019

Styrian fashion school 'Modeschule Graz' presented costumes for diversity, LGBTI ball 'Tuntenball' under this year's theme 'Scandal' referencing courage to be oneself

Yesterday on 8 February, Tuntenball invited to the press conference and preview of costumes, created by students of 'Modeschule Graz' for the ball team members' outfits at the event on 23 February. This year, Austria's oldest diversity, LGBTI ball 'Tuntenball' celebrates its 30th anniversary. The idea for the ball was born in 1989 in times when AIDS was a relatively new disease (clinically first observed in the early 80s) and when people in same-gender relationships were under pressure for being 'scandalous' or for not fitting into society. Remembering those times and the years of society's development (since this year for example, same-sex marriage is officially allowed in Austria; Constitutional Court article), Tuntenball has selected for the 30th anniversary edition the theme 'Scandal' for celebrating people's courage to live openly the own sexual orientation, the chosen gender or in general the courage to be oneself.

Each year, the 'Goldene Panthera' award is given to a person whose courageous acting strengthens a diverse society in living together harmoniously. The winner of the Goldene Panthera 2019 is Viennese teacher Viktoria Veronese whose credo is a non-discriminatory school.

Students of Modeschule Graz created eight costumes (three on view at the pictures below) for Tuntenball team members. The education at Modeschule Graz focuses on management, production technologies, and fashion design. One of the students of the Styrian fashion school won at the latest AustrianSkills championships in the category 'Fashion Technology' and will compete with the Team Austria in August 2019 at the WorldSkills championships in Russia.

Eurovision Song Contest 2014 winner Conchita is one of the prominent graduates of Modeschule Graz. Conchita (aka Thomas Neuwirth) is this year's EuroPride Vienna (1 - 16 June) ambassador and one of the artists of the Tuntenball show program. At the ball's website, some ideas for 'Scandal' costumes can be found such as the 1920s women's emancipation inspired flapper look or the mid-18th century men's style known as 'Macaroni fashion' (similar to Drag style).

fig.: The images show Modeschule Graz students, costumes and Miss Alexandra Desmond, patron and presenter of the ball event Tuntenball at the press conference on 8 February 2019 in Graz, capital city of the Austrian Federal State Styria. Tuntenball presented by T-Mobile happens on 23 February 2019. Photos: (C) Andy Joe.

Annotation: From 13 February until 7 April, Graz Museum contributes the exhibition 'ganz normal anders. 30 Jahre Tuntenball' to the history of the ball.

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