Leçon de Mode

N°23: The origins of Brussels lace

Thursday 25 February 2021 at 19.00

 

Settle comfortably into your favourite armchair and let yourself be swept away by the fascinating history of the complex fabric that is Brussels lace, from its origins until its disappearance at the beginning of the 20th century.

 

Transparency, holes, flowers, sensuality, old-fashionedness, cobweb, frivolity, feminine lingerie, curtains… It evokes astonishing, and often very diverse, mental images. What are the origins of this luxury fabric that was the source of such tension among the grandees of this world who sought to adorn their rich apparel? Has it anything to do with the treasures that your great-grandmother so carefully stored in the back of her attic?

 

By means of paintings and items from the collection of the Fashion & Lace Museum, we will examine the two main techniques, the spindles and the needle, and see how they relate to the main historical production centres in Flanders and the Veneto.

 

Practical information

    • Webinar free