I received a request for some information the traditional clothing of Switzerland, especially of the area around Luzern, so I will give a very short overview of this information.
Switzerland, as is well known, is a multilingual nation which strongly identifies as one ethnicity. This is extremely unusual, and is rooted in the fact that the Swiss Confederation was voluntary on the part of its citizens, at least at first, and as it grew, that was still mostly true.
Here is a linguistic map of Switzerland, one showing the names of the cantons, and one showing more detail.
Covering the cantons from the northeast, going counter-clockwise. This is a very short and incomplete overview.
Allemanisch or 'German' Switzerland:
St. Gallen
Appenzell
Thurgau
Schaffhausen
Zurich
Zug
Schwyz
Glarus
Uri
Unterwalden
[includes Obwalden and Nidwalden]
Luzern
Aargau
Basel
Solothurn
Bern
This is a large canton with several costumes, here is just a sample.
Emmental
where the famous cheese comes from
Emmental on the right, Bern midlands on the left
Berner Mutz
Oberhasli
Saanenland
'French' and Savoy, or 'Welschland' Switzerland.
[Welsch is an old Germanic word meaning 'people whose language we don't understand']
Jura
Neuchâtel
Fribourg
Vaud
Geneva
Valais/Wallis
The west half of the canton is French/Arpitan speaking, and the east half is German/Allemanisch speaking. This canton is also rather large and rich in costumes.
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Ticino
This, along with a couple of the southern valleys of Graubuenden, makes up 'Italian' Switzerland.
Grischun/Grigioni/Graubuenden/Grisons
The last canton, home of the Romansch language, also home to German/Allemanish and Italian speakers.
Thank you for reading, I hope that you have found this interesting and informative.
Feel free to contact me with requests for research. I hope to eventually cover all of Europe and the Former Russian Empire/Soviet Union. I also gratefully accept tips on source materials which i may not have. I also accept commissions to research/design, sew, and/or embroider costumes or other items for groups or individuals.
Roman K.email: Rkozakand@aol.com
Source material:
Lotti Schuerch - Louise Witzig, 'Trachten der Sweiz', Bern, 1978
Louise Witzig, 'Schweizer Trachtenbuch', Zurich, 1954
Louise Witzig et Edwige Eberle, 'Costumes Suisse', Lausanne,