Cogne Folk Costume

Cogne's traditional clothing represents the evolution of the community's styles and habits over time. Beginning as simple folk garments, they have become popular folk symbols, especially during cultural events.
Traditional clothing clearly differs from that of the other areas of the Aosta Valley, preserving deep and historical identity symbols. In the past, the women's dress indicated the social status of the woman through its details. Until World War II, many older women still wore the local costume. The origins of this dress are lost in the mists of time, evolving from a work dress to a richly adorned festive garment.
Cogne's female costume, known as "gouné," consists of a heavy black skirt, a black (or white for the holidays) apron, a cotton bodice, and a white shirt with a lace collar. A necklace of coloured glass beads and a black cap complete the set. The skirts, weighing up to 5 kilos, differ in the number of folds for work or holidays. Slight variations in detail could distinguish the villages. The male dress is more recent than the female one, with influences dating back to when King Victor Emmanuel II spent time in the valley for his hunts. The current dress consists of a white shirt, black trousers, a waistcoat with colored pompons, and a light wool jacket trimmed in red and green. A black hat, often decorated with a garland or a "bouquet," completes the picture.