OIDFA Work Group Lace in the Italian Folk Costumes

The aim of the Work Group is to study lace in different Italian folk costumes. Every Italian county has a traditional folk costume which shows lace on the cap or on the apron etc.

The Group's members want to study the use of lace in different counties as their project and to analyse the lace: type, feature, kind of threads and also technique. Reconstructions, diagrams and schemes by colour code will be made.

Starting from the North-East of Italy, the handkerchief worn on the head, which is called a fazzul is the first investigation planned by the Work Group. The fazzul is an ancient kind of handkerchief used as part of the dress in the mountainous belt of the North-East of Italy since the XV century. It is a long linen or canvas usually trimmed with lace. Lots of studies have been made about the fazzul concerning its history and its use but no study about the lace has been made. A different kind of lace is seen on the different handkerchiefs, so every fazzul is a unique piece.