'Musée de la Dentelle' (Lace Museum) in Caudry

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'Musée de la Dentelle' (Lace Museum) in Caudry

After the first bobbinet machine was installed in Caudry in 1823, and the first machine able to mechanically produce lace started work in 1859, Caudry became an important hub of lace production between 1880 and 1914.
The handcrafted manufacture of lace, and the techniques required, have been handed down from generation to generation, allowing the town of Caudry to retain its status as France's main centre of lace production. This know-how is hugely valued by French and international fashion houses who procure their lace in Caudry.
The museum shows how the lace is produced and how the finished product is then used in the fashion industry.
To fully understand the different stages involved in lace manufacturing, an active workshop (complete with a shuttle loom, a bobbinet machine, a leavers loom and a yarn preparation workshop) has been recreated and there is a video retracing the history of the lace industry.
The museum also has on display a very comprehensive collection of samples, dresses, fashion accessories and other finery dating from the 19th Century to the present day, taking you through the Belle Epoque period, the Roaring Twenties, the inter-war years, the New Look, the Seventies, and current and future fashions.
Musée de la dentelle
Place des Mantilles. 59540 Caudry, France.
Tel.: +33 (0)3 27 76 29 77.