New Life for the Art of Lace-Making - WSJ.com
Lace is certainly a specialty fabrication where perhaps the less mass-produced, the more precious it is. In this case, handcrafting in the production process has not yet been adequately replicated/replaced by the machine.
There is also a marked difference between the authentic French/Swiss-produced versions and the stuff produced elsewhere, but perhaps only fabrication nuts would spot this? Perhaps one day Chinese manufacturers will catch up?
When such intricacies are designed into product, do potential consumers realise, or even want to know, about the painstaking labour that has produced this object (be it a garment or accessory) that they have purchased?
Is there a degradation of authenticity and therefore perceived value, when something so trendy/trend-driven explodes into the mass market, or trickles down-market?
How can sustainable fashion designers deal with this barrier of perception and create genuine understanding of the products' value?
As a consumer, would you choose to chase after the real stuff, and pay more? Or just be content with the cheaper and less beautifully-made copy/substitute?
From a design perspective, would you incorporate lace into your product? Is it a sustainable fabrication, and does it have longevity? Or is it simply too difficult to work with/care for? How could we possibly innovate and use newer technologies to produce an alternative that fulfills more sustainability criteria? Laser-cutting, or 3D printing, perhaps?
I have been chasing after vintage Victorian hand-made lace blouses for a while now...no doubt, inspired by the current explosion of lace in fashion, and wanting to acquire for myself, something truly vintage/authentically handmade, so as to see the difference between the old and the new...
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