" Tenderesse(JSK)" Art Column-

The History of Lace Beginning with 16th-Century Aerial Stitching

This dress, named Tenderesse (meaning "tenderness" in French), is crafted almost entirely from Leavers lace, considered the most luxurious among machine-made laces. It is an incredibly lavish piece. Today, we’ll delve into the history of lace, which began with the exquisite handcraft often referred to as the "jewel of threads."

16th-Century Lace Known as "Reticella" / Published in 1911 / From the Encyclopaedia Britannica

European lace, as we know it today, originated around the 16th century. Techniques such as "Punto in Aria" (stitch in the air), where threads were pulled from fabric to create a framework for embroidery, became the prototype for modern lace. Initially, lace adorned the collars and cuffs of both noblemen and women. These lace products were considered ultimate luxuries, with the price of one meter of lace equaling the annual income of a craftsman. The art of lace-making spread across Europe, including Belgium and France, leading to the creation of diverse designs that were widely embraced by the wealthy elite.

Left: "Queen Elizabeth I of England" / Painted by William Segar or George Gower / 1585. The large ruff (pleated collar) and cuffs are entirely made of lace.
Right: "Madame de Pompadour" (detail) / Painted by François Boucher / 1756. The sleeve cuffs, or engageantes, feature lace used in layered designs.

The Industrial Revolution and the Shift to Machine-Made Lace

The golden age of handcrafted lace came to an end in the 18th century. A preference for simpler designs replaced the demand for extravagant lace, and the French Revolution of 1789 marked a turning point when lace, seen as a luxury of the aristocracy, fell out of favor. Furthermore, the advent of the Industrial Revolution in Britain led to the decline of costly handcrafted lace as machine-made alternatives began to dominate.

Striped Needle Lace. Germany, Erzgebirge Region, Handcrafted / 1884 / Collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum

Most lace we encounter today is machine-made and originated after the 19th century. While handcrafted lace was often named after its place of origin, machine-made lace derives its names from the machinery used to create it. Examples include Leavers lace from weaving machines, Raschel lace made to imitate Leavers lace on knitting machines, embroidery lace from embroidery machines, and Torchon lace, made through braiding. Among these, Leavers lace is the most expensive and rare.

The history of Leavers lace dates back to the Industrial Revolution. It originated with the Leavers machine, invented in 1813 by British engineer John Leavers.

John Leavers, 1826 

F-Leavers Machine / 1904

The “Queens of Lace” Born from Around 150 Leavers Lace Machines Worldwide

Leavers lace, made by twisting threads finer than human hair, can replicate handcrafted lace designs with incredible precision. Despite being machine-made, these antique machines require immense time and effort. Today, only about 150 machines are in operation worldwide. Japan’s Sakae Lace owns 87 machines housed in a factory in China, while a few European companies also produce Leavers lace. Production of these machines ceased in the 1960s, meaning the remaining machines, some over a century old, are cherished and meticulously maintained. These exquisite laces are used by high-end fashion brands featured on Parisian runways, earning them the title “Queens of Lace.”

Video of a Leavers Lace Machine in Operation (recent footage)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozq7xGLpAVM

Feel Like Nobility from a Bygone Era

The lace used in this dress is also from Sakae Lace. Juliette et Justine’s designer, Mari Nakamura, a lover of antique lace, passionately pursued the creation of a dress using the finest Leavers lace. Infused with the desire to share the enchanting allure of noble lace—delicate, dainty, ephemeral, yet radiating a dignified beauty—this dress invites you to feel like nobility of the past.

Garlands and festoons are woven into the lace, evoking the feeling of being in a royal garden.


Written by: Mariko Suzuki

Her first solo book, Gothic & Lolita Dictionary, is now available!


References:

Dictionary of Accessory History (Vol. 2) by K.M. Lester & B.V. Oak / Yasaka Shobo

Antique Lace by Keiko Ichikawa / Kawade Shobo Shinsha

Gothic & Lolita Dictionary by Mariko Suzuki / Seibundo Shinkosha

Textile Terminology Dictionary by Noriko Narita / Textile Tree

History of European Textiles by Masumi Tsuji / Iwasaki Bijutsusha

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