Lace | Timeless Elegance: Then, Now & Forever

All fashion elevates to true art with the addition of lace. No other fabric covers and uncovers with an air of whimsy and magic. Rex Fabrics offers an array of highly-sought-after openwork fabric. Fashion forward savvy customers often select from the vast lace collection to included Corded Lace, Guipure Lace and Stretched Lace starting at $19.99/yard.

Always a sign of luxury, lace was once for a time, a form of currency. In the 15th century handmade lace appeared in Europe. The painstaking labor required long days of intense focus to produce just a few inches of material. Colbert, Louis XIV’s prime minster, realized its extraordinary value overseeing the creation of the “Royal Lace Manufactory.” French efforts to isolate their unique product successfully lead to high demand for “Point de France” throughout Europe.

Enterprising entrepreneurs, Reverend William Lee designed and built a machine to manufacture nets. In 1814, John Leavers’ legendary improvements to Lee’s machine solidified his place in fashion history by reducing the lace production cycle. Rex Fabrics features Leaver lace from long established European brands: Solstiss, The Cluny Company Limited, Sophie Hallette & Riechers Marescot.

“Lace is made of mystery, light and elegant it influences creativity…it has forever existed…” - Karl Lagerfeld

Lace is a mystical fabric woven with care. The technique however is not a mystery. Solstiss is a collaboration between four well established lace makers from Northern France. Maison Ledieu Beauvillain, Victor Machu & AEG Joel Machu, Robert Belot and Maison Edouard Beauvillain merged their unique skills and traditions to offer some of the finest haute couture, ready-to-wear and home decor fabrics in the marketplace. Solstiss shares the secret to their craft in 6 steps: design, preparation, production, dyeing, finishing, & embellishment.

Designers pull from ancestral craftsmanship and engineering to operate computer controlled looms, a hand operated or power-driven apparatus for weaving fabrics. Solstiss designers produce traditional Leaver lace, also called Dentelle de Calais, with modern technology. Following months of training, Roll Mechanics maneuver a series of 100-300 bobbins filled with 100 meters of thread. The final design, uniformity & thickness, are determined by the pressure from the bobbins. Solstiss lace seen on famous fashion icons Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, Taylor Swift, and Grace Kelly are available in stores or online starting at $99.99/yard.

“Lace is the essence of femininity” - Donna Karen

Sophie Hallette lace weaves intimate links between tradition and innovation also from France. Drafters and designs make an inseparable duo interpreting each stroke of the pen bringing to life the soul of the lace. Also relying on Leavers and bobbins, menders may spend up to 15 hours on a single piece. Dyers apply color. Finishers add custom touches. Stretched lace fabrics, perfect for lingerie, start at $19.99/yard.

Riechers Marescot is the daughter company of Sophie Hallette in France. This ultra-feminine lace brand features mechanical stretch for added comfort and ease. Eyelash finishes offer a touch of elegance, whimsy or a bohemian flair to any outfit. Claim this season’s Corded Lace for your own starting at $24.99/yard.
The Cluny Company Limited is a ninth generation lace manufacturer owned and managed by the Mason Family in the UK. Cluny lace is a Leaver lace, worked as a continuous piece. It is a heavy plaited lace of geometric design, often with radiating thin, pointed wheatears. Purchase similar Guipure styles starting at $89.99/yard.
Ready to create your next piece of art? Request a consultation with our well-versed staff or come into our conveniently located Coral Gables, Florida store to admire our lace collection in person.

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