Lace: A Brief History
Beauty, art, sensuality, class, couture, lace is the beginning. Lace is the cherry on top of a perfectly put-together look. With its intricate beauty and dainty details, one may associate the textile with a flowing gown, an elegant overlay, or even a curtain gently allowing the sun to seep through. Others may see a revealing set of lingerie or a garter worn on the upper thigh of a woman beneath a scandalous wardrobe. Lace has depth, many meanings, and associations that have drastically changed throughout the generations of tailors and seamstresses who take much pride in this art piece of Textile. A timeless material, trim, undergarment, and accessory, reentered and cherished through endless eras of fashion and pop culture.
When lace began as a unique and flaunt-worthy fashion, it was only to be owned by those of aristocracy and status. The symbol of wealth was worn by both men and women, it was the most expensive, hard-to-acquire part of their outfits. The process used to create such beauty was by needle or bobbin. Needle lace, the oldest practice, used a single needle and thread to pinpoint each intricacy and create a larger piece, often consuming many hours and days of the artist’s time. The second most popular was called bobbin lace, developed in the 1530s which used a braiding method with the material attached to long pins that would be weaved together to create the pattern, this way the production could increase while still keeping the art form alive. Whether the trim of a cuff or an overlay to a collar, the textile was sure to be used most tastefully. Spreading through France, Italy, Spain, and England, each place had its own take on what lace was. The beauty in lace became a sought-after good, even becoming a material considered to be contraband! How ruthless. Neighboring countries and nations just had to get their hands on the wearable art and show they were worth it. Now, it is important to keep in mind, this was the early sixteenth century before anything negative was associated with lace, but as we know with time comes change.
In the early years of the eighteenth century, men decided lace was not for them anymore. And since society thinks it is a man’s world, lace became synonymous with seduction and exposing of the woman’s form, then poof! The appeal began to change. Around this time, lace was beginning to appear on women’s underwear and lingerie, creating an air of sensuality that was not widely accepted by the conservative Victorian mind. Going on to the nineteenth century, a dance phenomenon known as the CanCan featured a line of women kicking their legs high in the air while revealing their fabulous lace layers under their skirts. Iconic today, yet taboo at the time. The lace was featured on their underwear, stockings, and the most wild yet, their garters. A far cry from the nobility men used to claim from the delicate textile. Now the fetishization of lace was beginning as women began to claim it as their own and own their bodies and sexuality.
A quintessential time: The Roaring 20s, when flappers would grace a room with their feathery gold attire that was sure to stop a party. Aa time for the liberation of women. A time for young women to express themselves and rebel against acceptable behavior by society’s standards. Adorned with their lace dresses, they cut their hair, listened to jazz, and showed up in their best-beaded lace dresses and beautifully made headpieces.
The 1940s through 1970s brought in a new era of lace which focused on the textile as an asset for not only apparel, but also a classy piece of decor that could be seen on a set table in a beautifully adorned home, or on the hem of a babydoll dress. The sixties and seventies brought a time of liberation and freedom to the woman’s form, therefore making lace the perfect piece of textile to highlight the freedom that was being brought about. Although more common at the time to be sold in thin strips to add to a piece of clothing, the art form was still at a peak in terms of quality and passion that went into each and every piece created. As the seventies progressed into the eighties there would be an influx of lace back into the main game with an iconic figure who brought it back in full force.
In the 1980’s a resurgence like no other sparked a new wave. “Like a Virgin” by Madonna struck the world and reclaimed the feminine power of this textile. Madonna iconically wore long white lace clothes to match her white lace bodice and signature tulle skirt that encapsulated what the next era would show us. The big lace bows placed upon blown-out hair beneath layers of scrunchies were an absolute staple when it came to the eighties. Lace tights, lace bodysuits, and lace overlays on top of neon crop tops defined the it-girl look of the eighties, seeping into the nineties, but coming through in a more edgy way.
The nineties took us into grunge territory with black lace accents covering the arms and legs of women with their black creeper boots and ripped denim that would have made the Victorians cry, but this time was a fashion playground for the textile that brought it away from its original roots.
As time went on, lace kept its status as a symbol of femininity, specifically in the form of sexual freedom and sensuality. From fashion shows to the streets of New York City, lace will continue to grace whichever you choose to be your runway and make your statement.
