Identical Folk Costumes for Four Brothers

The national costume belonged to the wonderful chef, entrepreneur and culinary show presenter Mārtiņš Rītiņš (1949–2022). It was the only folk costume he ever wore. Mārtiņš first wore the folk costume in England, performing with the “Pērkonītis” folk dance group in Corby; in the second half of his life, he wore it in Latvia when singing with the “Mārtiņkoris” choir.  

In 1964, when the “Pērkonītis” folk dance group was preparing to perform at the European Latvian Song Festival in Hamburg, Hermīne Rītiņa commissioned identical folk costumes for her older sons from Arvīds Tilaks, a Latvian tailor living in Corby. It is believed that Hermīne herself embellished the coats by embroidering Latvian designs. In 1966 a folk costume was also ordered for her youngest son, Mārtiņš. That year “Pērkonītis”, together with the “Kamoliņš” folk dance group, went on a concert tour to Germany and Belgium. While Mārtiņš was dancing in “Pērkonītis”, the folk costume experienced various events in many parts of the world, such as the 5th Latvian Song Festival in Toronto, Canada, in 1970, and the famous “Rose of Tralee” folk festival in Ireland, in 1972. The “Pērkonītis” folk dance group also danced in their folk costumes at the wedding reception for Queen Elizabeth’s father’s nephew, Prince Richard of Gloucester, at the family’s Barnwell Castle estate.