During the 16th Century’s the finest lace was hand-made in Northern Italy and Flanders according to two different techniques: “needlepoint embroidery” on fabrics such as tulle and “spindle lace” on parchment paper or cardboard models.
These works were usually embedded as luxurious ornaments to the upper classes’ clothing because they were particularly slow and laborious to make. Their cost was so high and the use made of it by the “Gentilshommes” and Ladies of the French nobility was so important that in 1665, so as to limit payments (in gold!) for the acquisition of lace, Jean-Baptiste Colbert, “Contrôleur Général des Finances” of Louis XIV, prohibited its import and entrusted its production to royal factories.
Thus, since the 16th Century, thousands of lace-makers all over Europe produced by hand, with needles or bobbins, fabrics of exceptional quality renowned also for their solidity because, contrary to what one might think, lace is far from being a fragile fabric.
It was only much later, at the end of the 18th Century, that the first mechanical looms called “Leavers” were smuggled from England to Calais and began the industrial production of a lace that was no longer reserved to some “happy few” but remained a luxury product emblematic of French Haute Couture. These particularly complex looms were operated and serviced by English technicians who were familiar with these tools and whose descendants still live in Calais and in Caudry the other production centre nearby.
Calais-Caudry lace is still woven on “Leavers” looms today. Renowned for its finesse, it is one of the most precious fabrics used in Haute Couture.
In the 1950s were introduced in Calais, “Rachel” looms, originally imported from Germany, which were easier to manoeuvre and faster than “Leavers” looms. Rachel looms, made it possible to considerably increase the production of lace, mainly for corsetry and fine lingerie. This has allowed a larger number of consumers to have access to a product of excellent quality even if some purists still consider “Rachel” lace as a lower quality lace because it is often woven with synthetic materials (such as elasthanne and lycra, preferred to cotton for lingerie and corsetry).
Calais-Caudry lace was thus able to be exported all over the world, but the number of manufacturers equipped with “Leavers” looms has steadily decreased: at the beginning of the 20th century, Calais had more than six hundred manufacturers who supported half of the city’s inhabitants. There were only 48 in 1980. Today, there are only about ten manufacturers still using “Leavers” looms.
Calais-Caudry lace has earned its reputation thanks to Haute Couture because it is suitable for many uses and comes in a multitude of shapes and colours: satin or opaque, textured or smooth, it is ladderproof and resistant to abrasion.
For its aesthetic qualities, it has become a must in corsetry and especially in lingerie. Larger production quantities allowed by the “Raschel” technique have made it possible to develop mass distribution.
It is remarkable that the most efficient of the “Reschel” looms, the “Textronics” introduced in the 90`, produce with unequalled speed laces that perfectly matches those embroidered on the old “Leavers” looms.
Today, lace comes in several styles depending on the type of market for which it is intended: the precious “Leavers” lace, produced in very small quantities on “antique” looms, is the emblem of this industry and is mainly intended for some exclusive Haute Couture productions while “Rachel” lace is mainly intended for corsetry and quality productions.
Calais lace used to make our Princess dresses has been embroidered on Reschel and Textronic looms of the same type: a guarantee of quality and durability.