While today, the people, culture, and industry of Calais have made it an essential component of France's national identity, the city was a territorial possession of England until 1558. Known as "the brightest jewel in the English crown," Queen Mary I of England mourned the loss of the town to the French deeply. Upon hearing of the village's French occupation, she reportedly lamented, "When I am dead and opened, you shall find Philip [her husband] and Calais lying in my heart." The town's foray into lace making began in the early 1800s when Leavers looms and the practice of modern lace weaving was smuggled into the country from Nottingham. The craft was quickly transformed by the unique vision and talent of Calais artisans, and Calasienne lace became a unique and highly desirable commodity in the world lace industry. Codentel was founded in 1990 by the merger of two lace producers with long histories and many years of experience and technique passed down through generations. Peeters & Perrin, a specialty producer of large widths for lingerie and corsetry was originally founded in 1920, and Albert Aubert has been creating delicate "Valenciennes" trims since 1870. So while the company was founded less than 20 years ago, they nonetheless bring over 200 years of experience to the creation of their lace fabrics. The production of authentic Calaisienne lace is a complex and delicate process that requires many skilled hands. Through a combination of mechanized weaving on 30 Leavers looms - some more than two centuries old - and the careful handiwork of the whapper, wheeler, tinter, bobbinet operator, and inspection machine operator, Codentel creates amazing works of art. Located in a lace factory dating back to 1918, Codentel creates both rigid and stretch Leavers lace. Their team diligently monitors the market to respond to new trends, while always maintaining a respect for quality, excellence, and tradition that guides them in all aspects of their work. Today, the company serves internationally-renowned names in lingerie, corsetry, haute couture, and ready-to-wear design such as Princesse Tam-Tam, La Perla, Chantelle, and Paladini. Codentel also offers its clients personalized design services and "sur-mesure" lace in addition to their beautiful and constantly changing seasonal collections. Codentel combines age-old tradition and local craftsmanship with modern expertise to bring the very finest Calaisienne lace to the international market.