20th International Lace Festival – Croatia
The 20th International Lace Festival started in Lepoglava, northern Croatia, bringing together lace makers from a dozen European countries.
The four-day festival, featuring lace from Croatia, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Estonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Germany and Austria, also includes workshops, lectures, fashion shows, theatre performances and other events.
Lepoglava Mayor Marijan Skvaric said that lace from Lepoglava and the islands of Pag and Hvar was on UNESCO’s list of protected world cultural heritage.
The mayor announced plans for the construction of a centre in Lepoglava that would have permanent lace exhibitions.
Attending the opening of the festival was also Belgian Ambassador Philippe Benoit, whose country is the partner-country at this year’s event. (source: Hina)
About Lace-making tradition in Croatia:
Lace is independent porous handwork originating from the Renaissance period on the Mediterranean and western Europe. The main lace making techniques produce needle point and bobbin lace.
The difference between the lace making in European countries and our country lies in its creators. In Europe, lace making was in the hands of nuns, bourgeoisie and nobility, while in Croatia it was transferred from them to the hands of rural women in small villages. They have made lace for traditional clothes and furnishings.
Nowadays, there are three main centres of lace making in Croatia, whose work is a continuation of the long-lasting lace making tradition. These are: Lepoglava in Hrvatsko zagorje with bobbin lace, Pag on the Adriatic with needle point lace and Hvar with aloe lace.
The skill of making ribbon bobbin lacework from flax fibres that the rural women from Lepoglava made for decorating their garments or for sale, resulted in the making of fine lace with different forms. The Pag lace is an ornamental element first occurring in folklore textile and later as an independent decoration. The skill of making lace from aloe in the town of Hvar is specific due to the material it is made of (aloe) and its single connection to a Benedictine convent. (source: Ministry of Culture www.min-kulture.hr)
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