Textiles
Queen Victoria chose her white ensemble for another reason -- to showcase the exquisite Honiton lace from the small town near Devon and England's southern coast. She continued to wear Honiton lace throughout her reign and greatly influenced fashion during that era.
There are many legends concerning the origin of lace, with key figures ranging from the Virgin Mary to a mermaid (Hopkin, 2021: 235-238). Burano, one of the islands off the coast of Venice, has a long tradition of making intricate needle lace, where the lace is constructed by hand sewing, instead of bobbin lace, which is also greatly detailed but more efficient, as a series of threads are woven with a bobbin.
As noted by the sage craftswoman pictured here from the article "Women Who Embroider the Air", the handmade lace industry is dwindling and has been historically dominated by women.
The Museum of Lace in Burano is on the site of what was formerly the lace school.