While your first thought of crochet in the past might have been of doilies on chair backs there has been a resurgence of interest in crochet lace and innovators such as Roisin Pierce and Magda Butrym are reinventing the art and creating storied and breathtaking clothing. In this post we’ll look at a bit of the history of crochet lace, some innovative crochet tops and learn about my first experience with the medium.
(Photos of Roisin Pierce from British Vogue)
Roisin Pierce, was awarded Chanel’s first Metiers d’Arts Prize in 2019, the Prix du Public and the 2022 LVMH Prize. Her clothing company, Roisin Pierce was started in 2020 and she has already been named by Forbes as one of the 30 under 30 in the Arts and Culture category for 2022.
Roisin Pierce is bringing the art of Irish crochet lace to the forefront as she works with her mother in teaching the craft to others and sustaining the practice.
Each garment is created by hand and dictated by the texture and weight of the fabric. The collections feature an all-white palette and, according to her website, illustrates “themes of female resistance, liberation, and freedom through making…”
Here are two dresses from her 2024 collection.
Irish crochet lace has a long history, originating during the Great Famine of the 19th century in Ireland as a cottage industry and providing women with an opportunity to learn the craft and then to sell their creations to sustain their families.
Thoroughly intrigued, I have ordered this book and several others to help me know more about Irish crochet lace and the history of lacemaking around the world. These will be inspiring fireside reads this winter!
Another designer working in crochet lace is Magda Butrym. This photo of one of her tops on Moda Operandi provided the starting point for my study of crochet.
Magda Butrym works with local artisans in Poland to help her create these stunning and unique pieces. Here again, handwork is the emphasis as is time and patience.
Crochet pieces can be seen in other collections and are gaining recognition for their beauty and wearability. Here are some of the pieces that caught my attention.
(Tag Walk)
Alexander McQueen, Spring/Summer 2024)
(Tag Walk)
Christian Dior, Spring/Summer 2024
(Tag Walk)
Litkovska, Spring/Summer 2024
(Tag Walk)
Anna October, Resort 2023
(Tag Walk)
Altuzarra, Spring/Summer 2022
(theimpression.com)
Isabel Marant, Spring 2023
(Khaite, Spring/Summer 2025)
(Khaite, Spring/Summer 2025)
(Khaite, Spring/Summer 2025)
Seeing these photos made me want to try my hand at sewing a crochet top. Not knowing how to crochet it occurred to me I might find pieces of crochet already made at the local vintage shop and then, sew them together by hand to create the top. There were some limitations with this method, but the process was fairly straightforward; using a continuous whipstitch enabled me to sew pieces together.
This photo of a Chanel top with a ribbon strung through the crochet gave me the idea to use some of my grosgrain ribbon to give the top a bit of fit.
After considering several options, it seemed best to style the top with a black tube top underneath over a black silk slip skirt. Can’t wait to wear it!
It was enormously fun to try this and I look forward to learning more as I read about the history of lacemaking and the people engaged in this art.
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