Lace: A European textile art

has long been manufactured solely by the hands of the lacemakers.

Two techniques have been developed, the first using a parchment, needle and thread (needlepoint lace)

and the second, a set of bobbins with a tile as support (bobbin lace).

Having been smuggled over from England during the first half of the 19th century, the loom became more complex

One of the Leavers crafts, from the Museum

This craft now bears the name of one of its inventors, the Englishman, John Leavers (1786 – 1848).

A true single industry: lace, which involved around 30,000 people at the beginning of the 20th century, has contributed significantly to the architectural redesign of Calais.

That is why the Museum of Lace and Fashion was able to move its collections into a former collective factory dating from the 1870s.

there are more than 60 stages in the manufacturing process for Calais lace.

The lace's design is first created by a sketch artist.

Their work is a combination of graphic and artistic creation, with an in-depth understanding of the manufacturing process.

A "designer" and "adjuster" then translate this creation to program the loom using a system of perforated cards (Jacquard system) or digital files.

The carriage and the bobbin.

There are multiple preparation stages for weaving: assembling the threads on the looms and filling the shuttles ("weaving" or "winding" the bobbins mounted on "carriages").

A tulle worker regulating his machine

Having never been regulated by standardized construction guidelines, the Leavers lace looms required a variety of tool and thread adjustments.

Stage of separating bands or strips of lace.

Once woven, the lace undergoes various stages of treatment, including dyeing, washing, shaping, and dressing. It is then returned to the factory for the mending, cutting ("scaling" and "tapering"), and folding stages.

Re-embroidering process.

Lace can also be reworked by other artisans or industries to give it its finish (printing, embroidery, painting, and coatings of all types).

Stage to check for possible defects

This textile thrives on all of the expertise associated with French fashion, from the heights of industrialization to the delicate hands of the Parisian haute-couture studios.

The lace woven on Leavers looms is completely dependent on the knowledge of the men and women who produce it. This expertise is mainly passed on by showing and doing. Manufacturing this textile is a long and complex process, and the preservation of knowledge about it is fragile.