THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LACE MADE TODAY

Sophie Hallette’s warehouse is located in the charming French village of Caudry, near Lille. It houses over 2,000 patterns of lace fabric.

The giant Leavers looms, considered the best in the world, were smuggled out of England on boats during the Industrial Revolution, to protect them from vandalism.

Each loom can take about 2 months to set up for production and only produces about 60 metres of lace a day.

The Sophie Hallette artisans weave the threads into the bobbins before they go into the looms. The tullists who feed the bobbins into the looms and manage their operation.

In 2014, Chanel acquired Sophie Hallette’s parent company Groupe Holesco.

Sophie Hallette has collaborated with esteemed haute couture designers, such as Gucci, Miu Miu, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Erdem, Burberry, Prada, Armani, Jean Paul Gauthier &  Alberta Ferretti.

Lingerie design houses Agent Provocateur, La Perla, I.D. Sarrieri, and Eres, all work with Sophie Hallette lace.

While lace is particularly prized for its romantic femininity, modern designers, like Miuccia Prada and Mimi Wade, work it into a harder, stronger, edgier look, sometimes with bright neon colors.

Designers like Mal Burkinshaw push the lace into totally avant garde expressions.

Designer Ka Wa Key Chow created a fabulous mashup of androgyny, camouflage, and frilly romance with Sophie Hallette lace for the “Double Je”  Exhibition at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

The Liv Hart with Sophie Hallette Collection features delicate hand-loomed Parisian laces from their 120  year old lace patterns. The exact lace from the Kate Middleton/Alexander McQueen royal wedding gown is part of the collection.  

Enchanted Atelier designer Liv Hart has been commissioned by Sophie Hallette CEO Romain Lescroart to create a couture accessories collection using this very special  Leaver's lace pattern.  

“We love the delicacy of her work, the exquisite attention to detail,” says Lescroart. And we concur.

Read more about Beautiful Lace in Wearable Lace Architecture, Incredible Lace Jewelry, The Lacy Wings Of Dragonflies Now, Have Your Lace & Eat It Too!, See Magnificent Precision-Cut Paper Lace Sculptures and A Beautiful Charming Place for Lace.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Cotton Lace, designed by Sophie Hallette.
2. Image: “Prince William & Catherine Middleton - First kiss as married couple.” Courtesy of The Royal YouTube Channel.
3. Image: Making lace. Courtesy of Sophie Hallette.
4. Image: Sophie Hallette factory. Courtesy of Sophie Hallette.
5. Image: by Philippe Schlienger. Maud Lescroart, Marketing Director, House of Hallette.
6. Image: by Samuel L. Goldenberg. "Leavers Lace Machine."
7. Image: Lace, designed by Sophie Hallette.
8. Image: Lace Leisurewear with Sophie Hallette Lace, designed by Anum Rasul, of Salford University.  Winner of 4th Sophie Hallette University Design Challenge. Courtesy of Sophie Hallette.
9. Image: Lace Dress with Sophie Hallette Lace, designed by Alberta Ferretti.
10. Image: “Noir Comme la Robe” with Sophie Hallette Leavers Lace. Designed by I.D. Sarrieri. Courtesy of I.D. Sarrieri.
11. Image: Chemise with Sophie Hallette Lace, designed by Mimi Wade.
12. Image: by Stuart Munro. Tailored Jacket with Sophie Hallette Lace, designed by Mal Burkinshaw. “Beauty By Design: Fashioning the Renaissance” Exhibition, Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Courtesy of Scottish National Portrait Gallery.
13. Image: Clothing designs by Ka Wa Key Chow, featuring lace by Sophie Hallette. “Double Je”  Exhibition. Palais de Tokyo. Paris.
14. Image: “Fleur de Nuit Bandeau Veil.” The Liv Hart with Sophie Hallette Collection.
15. Image: “Fleur de Nuit Bandeau Veil.” The Liv Hart with Sophie Hallette Collection.
16. Image: “Fleur de Nuit Bandeau Veil.” The Liv Hart with Sophie Hallette Collection.
17. Image: Lace trees. Lace designed by Sophie Hallette.
18. Image: “Marilyn-lace.” Lace designed by Sophie Hallette.
19. Image: by BN App - Download now!
20. Image: by Laura Gordon. Headpiece with Sophie Hallette lace, designed by Enchanted Atelier by Liv Hart. Courtesy of Liv Hart.