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Fiesta can be overwhelming, especially for newcomers. At the Witte Museum, there’s a closer look at one of its most elaborate traditions: Fiesta gowns.
“One of the most treasured collection items that the public loves to come see at the Witte are our coronation robes,” Katye Broughton said.
While Texas is not a monarchy, long ago some of San Antonio’s social elite created a fictitious one, the Order of the Alamo, to celebrate Texas history in their own fashion. Broughton said if looking at gowns doesn’t sound interesting, you probably haven’t seen Fiesta gowns.
“They are part of a cottage industry here in San Antonio, where you have these legacy families that pass down the art of designing and building these gowns,” she said.
Many of these gowns have been made by the same families, sometimes for generations. The designs are incredibly complex and colorful, with thousands of sequins hand-sewn into each. Broughton said those gowns don’t come cheap.
“The gowns can vary in cost, but sometimes people say they could be maybe the price of a car,” she said. “But they’re all beautiful.”
While the entire gown is striking, what really stands out is the train, which can stretch up to 16 feet long. This is not a gown to dance in. She said designers treat the trains as blank canvases.
“The trains that they pull on the back are just this big piece of canvas that they get to work on,” Broughton said. “The trains can be really heavy. They can weigh up to 90 pounds.”
“They’re such a wonderful part of San Antonio's history and culture, and it's something that we’re proud to help preserve,” Broughton said.
Along with everything else at the Witte, Fiesta gowns are displayed in multiple galleries throughout the museum, and they can be enjoyed even after Fiesta is over. “We have gowns available to view year-round in the B. Naylor Morton Research and Collections Center,” she said.
