Heart and soul.

A recent conversation with my beautiful Greek Yiayia (grandmother) brought me to understand that from as early as the late 15th century, women have constructed beautiful lace. She told me stories of the traditional white cotton crochet techniques the women in her village on the island of Lesvos used to make and sell as means of an income. Days of heavy farming and long nights of tedious looping and stitching were her limited options as a young wom- an trying to make an income. She showed me beautiful sheets of original crochet, needle and bobbin lace... her heart and soul had gone into every cotton thread. The digitally printed, fabric I have designed is machine stitched and hand beaded. Its intention is to be used to upholster a wooden chair. At first glance this repeat pattern indicates conventional floral lace ornamentation. However this illusion disappears at a closer glance. Each piece to the pattern is made up of women’s anatomy, literally reflecting the heart and soul which hand made lace embodies.
The motive behind the colours used in the fabric is to mirror wallpaper characteristics of the 1950’s. This symbolises the notion of home interiors and the women’s role related to being a 'housewife', typical of that decade. Lace metaphorically signifies means of independence from this typecast role and embodies a chapter in the story of women and their supporters who campaigned and have finally accomplished equal standing to men.