How 36 Simple Bright Orange Dresses Turned the Football World Cup Upside Down

A group of women in identical dresses managed to completely steal the spotlight for Bavaria. This famous stunt unfolded during the Netherlands' very first World Cup match in South Africa against Denmark. A contingent of 36 women entered the stadium, disguised as Danish supporters.

Once in the stands, they shed their outer layers, suddenly revealing the bright orange Bavaria dresses. Images of the incident immediately went global. The stunt garnered immense attention, particularly because the women were seated right in the middle of the Danish section.

FIFA was far from pleased with the stunt. Bavaria was not an official World Cup sponsor, and the global football governing body accused the beer brand of illegal advertising during the tournament. Official beer sponsor Budweiser also watched on in fury, while the KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association) and its beer partner Heineken were equally displeased with the action.

The women were eventually escorted out of the stadium by security and dealt with harshly. There were even threats of arrest and imprisonment, which only amplified the international attention the stunt received. Under pressure from FIFA, Bavaria later decided to halt the campaign, but by then, the desired effect had already been achieved. The stunt became a global talking point, and the dress evolved into an iconic World Cup item.

The so-called 'Dutch dress' was released as a free gadget with a six-pack of Bavaria beer in the run-up to the World Cup. Hundreds of thousands of units flew off the shelves. The concept originated from Hannah de Groot and Marloes Nabben, while the dress itself was designed by Olcay Gulsen's fashion label Supertrash. The hype surrounding the garment grew so significant that the dress eventually even found its way into a museum.