Stuart Milanese Style Lace

Stuart Milanese Style Lace – Refined Elegance for the Stuart Court

Bring 17th-century elegance to your needlework with this Milanese style lace inspired by the Stuart Era. Featuring delicate detail true to period design, it’s ideal for historical costuming, reenactment, or heirloom sewing projects. This 2 7/8″ (7.5cm) wide Stuart era-style Nottingham bobbin lace is inspired by authentic 17th-century designs. Perfect for Jacobean, Carolean and English Civil War reenactment. Resembling Milanese styles, this Stuart style lace accordingly brings period-accurate elegance to your costumes, perfect for designers, re-enactors, or couture artisans seeking authenticity.

Key features:

• Material Composition: 90% cotton, 10% nylon
• Width:  2 7/8 inch (7.5cm)
• Available in pure white

Sold per yard; multiple yards will be sent as one continuous length where possible

Perfect For:

English and continental European tailors used this lace in English and continental European fashion during the reigns of James I (1603–1625) and Charles I (1625–1649). Use this Milanese-style lace to trim, cuffs, falling bands, partlets and kerchiefs, especially for court dress, portraiture, and ceremonial wear. It is ideal for adding historically accurate Jacobean and English Civil War era detailing to theatre and film wardrobe or 17th century reproduction clothing.

Key Stuart Era Design Elements:

• Scroll-like Motifs: The lace displays curving, vegetable scrolls, reminiscent of acanthus leaf elegantly interlocking. These organic, wave-like forms give the lace a fluid sense of movement.

• Layered Dimensionality: The motifs are densely worked, with sections that appear raised or padded—creating a textural, three-dimensional effect that would catch light dramatically when worn.

• Scalloped Lower Edge: The bottom edge is deeply scalloped, with looped or picot-like finishes, enhancing the sense of richness and elaboration.

This lace reflects Milanese bobbin lace traditions, which favoured flowing, naturalistic shapes over the geometric forms of earlier reticella. Despite its complexity, the design is carefully balanced and repeated with formal symmetry. In summary, this lace exemplifies luxury and captures the ornate sophistication of early Baroque textile design.