Lace has been used since the 16th century in dress making, although was originally limited to members of the upper class that could afford to pay for it due to its hand made nature. The fabric has always played a key part in the fashion world from the late 16th century when lace collars and ruffles became the desirable style among wealthy women. Machine lace was introduced towards the end of the 18th century, producing lighter fabrics ideal for day wear. Due to it's delicate look and feel, lace has always been seen as a very feminine fabric and white lace in particular has ties to innocence which is why it is often used to create wedding dresses. Black lace used in Victorian funeral attire and for this reason has some dark associations, but in the 21st century can be seen as quite a provocative fabric, as it is now often used to create underwear. This contrast in its nature makes lace a very versatile fabric and one that is frequently celebrated in Givenchy's designs. I love the contrast between the use of white lace and black lace and this is something that I hope to explore through my editorial and catwalk designs.
Examples of Victorian wedding and funeral gowns, made from lace.
Examples of the huge range of patterns and styles lace is available in now and how it is used to create lingerie.
These are examples of Givenchy's use of contrasting monochrome lace, from their Fall 2008 collection. You can see from the two images below how White and Black lace can give completely different effects, from ethereal and goddess-like to morbid and gothic.
Lace was a trend across multiple catwalks this Spring/Summer, with lace designs also being showcased at Burberry and Zimmerman.
tanztechno (2015) Underwear. Available at: http://wheretoget.it/look/254455 (Accessed: 23 April 2016).
Leader, J. (1997) The lace guild - the origins & history of lace. Available at: https://www.laceguild.org/craft/history.html (Accessed: 23 April 2016).Inspiration: Victorian (2016) Available at: https://uk.pinterest.com/fabricdragon/inspiration-victorian/ (Accessed: 23 April 2016).
Givenchy couture fall 2008 (2009) Available at: http://www.hautfashion.com/designer-collection/givenchy-couture-fall-2008 (Accessed: 23 April 2016).
Armstrong, L. (2015) Burberry fuses the old with the new in slick style. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/london-fashion-week/burberry-spring-summer-2016-show-report/ (Accessed: 23 April 2016).
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