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PRESS RELEASE 9 March 2016
Frills, ruffles and bows – the enduring fashion for lace showcased at Antiques for Everyone, Spring Fair. NEC Birmingham 7th-‐10th April Delicate, intricate and beguiling – lace and fashion have gone hand-‐in-‐hand for hundreds of years. This special exhibition at the NEC presented by the Stourbridge based Lace Guild Museum, focuses on lace from the 18th to the 21st century. Lacemaking was an essential source of income for many home workers both in this country and abroad. It is a fascinating tale of human skill and artistry which finally succumbed to mechanisation in the industrial age. Honorary Curator, Gwynedd Roberts, will present a unique insight on the Museum Collection and the items in the exhibition. The latest TV period drama Doctor Thorne, the adaptation of Anthony Trollope’s novel by Julian Fellowes set in the nineteenth century provides a prime opportunity to see how lace was used to create frills, ruffles and bows on ladies’ bonnets and dresses.
Caption: Doctor Thorne -‐ Hat Trick Productions/ITV Colleen Kelsall was responsible for the costume design on Doctor Thorne and she had this to say about the lace: “I tried to use antique lace whenever possible. I tend to use less expensive reproduction lace for the supporting artists when the camera doesn’t tend to get as close. It’s lovely to see that lace making is making a comeback.”
Images from Doctor Thorne-‐ Hat Trick Productions/ITV Fashion changes very quickly. By the time this adaptation was set men’s clothes had become plainer whilst only a few years earlier men would been seen wearing lace for neck ties and cravats as seen in in the picture of the foppish gentleman in the powdered wig.
Pictures supplied by Wigs on the Green, an exhibitor at Antiques for Everyone. Captions from left to right: 1. Silhouette of a lady in a lace-‐trimmed, circa 1800-‐1810 2. Portrait miniature of a Regency lady, Mrs Isaacs, in a classical high-‐waisted dress with lace details and a fine lace cap trimmed with flowers, circa 1814 3. Miniature portrait of a foppish gentleman in powdered bag wig and fine lace cravat, circa 1810 4. Early 19th century oil on canvas portrait of a child holding apples in her skirt. Antiques for Everyone Fair Show Director Mary Claire Boyd said: “We are delighted to be staging this unique display of lace courtesy of The Lace Guild at the spring fair. The Guild is bringing examples of its wonderful museum collection of lace to the NEC. We are thrilled to have such a wealth of knowledge on hand to support and advise visitors about the craft of lacemaking, its history and use.” Corsets, cuffs and collars A luxury item, lace became an indicator of wealth and standing, adorning the garments of the rich and famous. It was so valuable that pieces of lace were forever being recycled and reapplied to different garments, hence the Lace Guild owns many separate pieces of lace in its collection which will be on display at the NEC in its first public display.
To many lace historians the 18th century is considered to be the “golden age” of lacemaking. This is when quality of design, skills of technique and interpretation of the design with the development of grounds and fillings, reached new heights. For around three quarters of a century lace was an essential part of fashionable dress.
As the fashion changed, new fabric designs were created and accessories, in particular lace, had to evolve to match. The main handmade Bobbin lace areas in Britain were in Devon around Honiton, (which specialised in Part Laces), and in the East Midlands counties of Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire where straight laces were made, and around Honiton in Devon which specialised in part laces. There were other smaller centres but these were usually only commercially viable when lace was very fashionable and sold well. Nottingham lace was primarily all about machine produced lace which often imitated the styles of handmade lace.
From the Lace Guild collection From the Lace Guild collection
Back of the 19C tiered collar
From the Lace Guild collection From the Lace Guild collection Lace has its own language relating to styles and designs, which then became synonymous with the places where it was produced, names like Honiton, Bucks Point, Bedfordshire, Torchon. Lace and Folk Art The distinctive English East Midlands beaded and decorated bobbins made from locally sourced wood or bone are rightly recognised as a unique Folk Art, as are those of very different design originating from Devon. The display will also feature bobbins , and various other lace making tools. The Voluntary staff from the museum will be on hand to speak about lace and its history. Lace today The passion for lace lives on. It is still used by top fashion designer in their haute couture pieces. It is never far from red carpet events as demonstrated at the recent Oscars when Jennifer Lawrence was papped wearing a black filigree lace Dior couture number. Both Amal Cloney and the Duchess of Cambridge chose lace for their wedding dresses. Modern manufacturing techniques mean that lace, and lace inspired design, is prevalent on the high street incorporated into day wear from dresses to hosiery, a material of choice for special occasions like wedding dresses and, thanks to the likes of Agent Provocateur, it has become synonymous with sexy underwear -‐ a long way from the magnificent ruffs of the
Elizabethan era. The special exhibition at the NEC will also feature recently made pieces from across the world.
Bodies like The Lace Guild play an important role in securing lace’s place in history and passing on the skill of lace making to future generations. Be sure to come along to Antiques for Everyone at the NEC, from 7th-‐10th April to find the secrets of lace revealed, see how it is made and possibly even try your hand at creating it! The fair is one of the largest of its kind in the UK, attracting collectors and enthusiasts from all over the world who come to purchase items from around 230 specialist dealers. There’s something for everyone at the fair which now includes more decorative and contemporary items with prices starting from around £10 and rising to several thousand. The fair remains one of the most important events in Britain for pottery, porcelain and glass collectors and will also feature art deco, antique and decorative furniture, treen, silver, maps, prints, armour, dolls, bears, watercolours, oils, jewellery and vintage clothing. Buyers can purchase with confidence as all items have been vetted and datelined meaning that they have been independently authenticated by leading industry experts.
Antiques for Everyone will be at the NEC, Halls 18-‐19. Admission costs from £12 and includes free parking and a visitor guide. For further information and to book advance ticket visit www.antiquesforeveryone.co.uk
Ends
For further information, photography and passes please contact:
Shirley Cherry, Associate Director, Leader Communications Tel: 01789 739240 Mob: 07900 221120 Email: shirley.cherry@leader.co.uk
Czech lace decoration detail
Barbara Cadd, PR Group Account Director, Leader Communications Tel: 01789 739240 Mob: 07843 341023 Email: barbara.cadd@leader.co.uk
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