#7073 $750
Chantilly lace shawl, 1860s
With its irresistible allure, black Chantilly lace, associated with the romance of the night, is the perfect medium for the ultra-feminine floral design. Delicate tendrils caress lace flowers, which stretch out their petals, yearning for the sun. The amazing painterly detail in the flowers is memorable.
Chantilly lace originated as a handmade bobbin lace, originally created in Chantilly, France in the 17th century. The lace is known for its fine ground, outlined pattern, and abundant detail. The Victorians began producing machine made copies of this popular lace. After an eclipse early in the 20th century, Chantilly lace again became a favorite in the 1950s. It flaunted and covered up the female figure. In the 1950s, and often since then, that combination has driven men wild.
Today on the runways in Paris, lace—Chantilly lace in particular—is making a comeback. Riccardo Tisci of Givenchy told American Vogue that “lace is delicate and romantic, but at the same time it has to be strong." To that end, he riffed on the tune of soft/strong by working frothy Chantilly lace into modest, high-neck blouses.
The condition is almost excellent. I found a small, barely discernable mend. Part of the applied picot edging is frayed.
It measures 108" across from point to point and 53" long at the center-back.
