The Search for Antique Belgian Lace in Bruges
Ever since my 22-day solo trip in Europe in 2014 (a life-changing trip that convinced me that traveling solo is the best way to travel and experience the world) to study my favorite Dutch painter Jan Vermeer, I have been itching to do another solo trip on my favorite continent again. This time, even though I only had a brief 24h window before ending my Euro trip, I decided to come to Belgium to continue tracing Flemish history and culture.
This charming European country is usually not on the top of tourists’ bucket list while planning a trip in Europe, even though it is known for its gourmet chocolate, beers, fries, and long history of craftsmanship (Antwerp diamonds and Bruges/Brussels laces).
For me, the city of Bruges is a must-visit because of my passion for wedding gown fabrics and therefore laces, and my mission this time is to find the 19th century Belgian needlepoint lace that was used to adorn Princess Grace Kelley’s timeless wedding gown in her marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco (will write a post about this iconic wedding gown soon).
This goal is more ambitious than I originally thought because lace-making is almost a lost art in Belgium, and lace shops that house authentic handmade antique lace are extremely rare and hard to find. After doing some research online, I found blog posts by antique lace collector Elizabeth M. Kurella that featured a few lace shops in Bruges that still sell antique handmade lace from the 17th, 18th, and 19th century. Of course, I made it my sole mission during the 24h spent in Belgium to find my dream lace.
The day started in the most disappointing and unexpected way possible. Not only did I encounter an extremely rare ATM malfunction that cost me a credit card, but I also arrived at the Museum of Costume and Lace in Brussels only to find that the museum was under renovation. Here’s proof that the later surprise was not due to insufficient research on my part: the renovation was not even mentioned on the museum’s official website (the English version at least).
After an hour-long train ride to Bruges, I followed Elizabeth’s post and decided to visit two lace shops in town: Claeys and Rococo. I walked to the address of Claeys only to find a torn down space after the store closure.
The prospect of finding 19th century Belgian lace suddenly seemed grim, especially as I walked around KantCentrum, the historic town center, and found too many touristy lace shops that only had faux antique laces made into bookmarks and home decor pieces.
As I walked towards Rococo, the second and last shop in town that possibly houses real antique lace, I encountered a lace maker demonstrating lace-making near KantCentrum. This lightened up my day and encouraged me to continue my search.
Finally, I arrived at Rococo, the largest lace shop in Bruges that has an extensive collection of antique lace from the 17th to the 19th century.
After walking into the shop and being greeted by the sales staff, I immediately asked for antique lace. “To be specific, I want the kind of antique needlepoint lace that was used to make Grace Kelly’s wedding gown.” I said.
Unfortunately the sales staff was not familiar with this particular wedding dress or who Grace Kelly was, but she directed me to the antique lace section hidden in the back room, clearly meant for better security and not meant for viewing by regular tourists.
I finally found the place for the needlepoint lace I have been dreaming of. The owner of the shop is the fifth generation lace-maker in the family that has inherited this art for centuries. Here I learned that the 17th century lace tends to have very simple floral patterns, and 18th century lace used a special star motif that became obsolete in the 19th century.
As I am learning more and more about laces and their history, I will definitely compile and summarize my learnings in a series of posts in the future :)
Seeing and feeling the Belgian needlepoint and bobbin lace in my hands was an absolute dream come true. Needlepoint lace was used extensively in 17th century European court costumes and featured in countless European portraits, and it has been the symbol of luxury and elegance since the 16th century. It really saddens me to witness the gradual extinction of lace-making in this country, and how close it is becoming a lost art here, just like the art of making ball gowns in the U.S. and around the world today.
It is hard to believe everything happened within merely 3 hours’ stay in Bruges. I have to admit, I fell in love with this city the moment I walked out of the train station. There was a gorgeous park with canals right outside the station, and my stroll around town reminded me of my experience exploring Dresden, Germany a few years ago, also a moderate sized city with amazing architecture and history.
A quintessential European town with such rich history and cultural heritage, a city full of hidden treasures (such as antique lace shops that take a lot of research and luck to find), and an ultra modern and forward-looking place that seamlessly preserves the old and embraces the new (with a bustling shopping district just minutes’ walk away from the old town center’s 13th century Belfry).
This is why, despite my unfortunate ATM incident in the morning and iPhone power outage in the afternoon that forced me to return to Brussels much earlier than scheduled, I believe you should visit Bruges during your next Europe trip, an absolutely charming medieval city that is worth at least a day’s stay.
Oh, they have great Japanese food here too, if you are tired of really heavy Belgian dishes. Make sure to check out Tanuki for their lunch or set menu. Food here has amazing quality and authenticity.
After a series of heavy meals on this Europe trip, I opted for a blueberry yoghurt paired with Hoegaarden beer (Wit Blanche flavour is amazing) for my dinner as I am writing out this post :P
