Lace and a Pretty Face

Prabal Gurung, Marc Jacobs, and Bottega Venetta from left to right. Images above from style.com.
Images below by Christina Binkley from the Wall Street Journal.

Ever wonder why those designer items cost so darn much? This recent article in the Wall Street Journal talks about the work that goes into high-end lace.

"In a showroom, [the owner and creative director of the lace company] pull out lace trims so complex that it takes a person two days to make one meter. Often details such as embroidery, sequins and other embellishments are added by hand.

New lace patterns . . . are drawn by hand—every single thread—by a team at the factory. . . .

Threading the tulle loom takes two months and two people."

Learning how high-end fabrics and designs are made make me really want to invest in good quality products. Not only are they more beautiful and better made, but they also support industries that I don't want to see disappear, like these lace companies that have been using some of the same looms for 100 years. Read the whole article. It is short but very illuminating!