Long before there was any lace made in France, social status amongst the members of court would be determined by the quality and complexity of the lace they wore. Catherine de Medici introduced the fabric to the French, who named it dentelle for the tiny teeth around the edges. As French dentelle could not compete with superior products from Italy and Flanders, most of the lace worn in France was imported. The material was as expensive as gold, and Europe's aristocracy couldn't get enough of it. Dismayed by the exorbitant amount of money being spent to import lace, the Minister of Finance for King Louis XIV began to develop the lace-making industry at home. The French then persuaded the best lace makers from Italy and Belgium to settle in France and set up schools to teach the peasants the art of lace making. And so the development of French Lace began. It didn't take long until France was creating unique lace designs and becoming established in the lace industry.
The intricate, time consuming craft of lace making begins with the pencil strokes of the designer and the interpretation of the drafter. They form an inseparable duo, one tracing the outlines of a vision, the other giving these lines substance, each relying on the technical knowledge they acquired through many years within the industry. Generations of craftsmen have been working the Leavers and Bobin looms with one goal in mind: weaving delicate lace and gossamer tulle out of several thousand miles of thread, using 5000 shuttles and 12 tons of cast iron. Dyers are alchemists using color to miraculously transform drabness into brilliance. In their laboratories, they mix pigments and chemicals to get just the right shade.
Many more steps await the lace before it leaves the factory. Some pieces will be sent to the clipping shop, where outlying threads that mask the design are cut and trimmed. Then to the scalloping, performed either on a machine or by hand with scissors, and then back again for another round of inspection and mending. Sophie Hallette laces are a staple of the most famous brands in haute couture and luxury goods including: Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Chloe, Zac Posen, Versace, Dolce Gabbana, Paul Smith, Phillip Lim, Jason Wu, Ralph Lauren, Valentino, Erdem, Antonio Marras, Brioni, and Elie Saab among others. Based in Caudry, France and family-run for three generations since its founding in 1887, Sophie Hallette sets the world standard for high-quality lace craftsmanship.
Materials in this article
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Materials in this article
Geometric leavers lace with [scallop](https://www.commonshare.com/capabilities/scallop) detail
From France
Solstiss was also who famed costume designer Catherine Martin worked with when creating and designing the beautiful wardrobes for Baz Luhrman’s period piece, The Great Gatsby. On March 14th The Museum of Lace and Embroidery of Caudry will be launching The Gatsby Magnifiques Dentelles. The exhibit will showcase twelve costumes featured in the major film production. From the guillotine to Gatsby, lace is here to stay.