She's bringing lacy back! This fashion stylist is making traditional lacemaking relevant today
A fashion blogger and stylist, Bibiche Rath knows a thing or two about what’s in vogue...and she’s recently turned her hand to traditional Maltese lacemaking!
The art of bizzila - as it’s known in Maltese - is one of our finest homespun crafts, beloved by tourists and practiced by seasoned lacemakers, who’s skills have been passed down through generations. It’s not uncommon to see older females at work in the quaint city of Victoria, in Gozo, but it is a sight not seen often enough!
This is where Hajja comes in. The brainchild of Bibiche, the project aims to reconnect with this traditional craft, bringing it to a fresh audience in a contemporary way.
“Hajja proposes to connect communities through the work and creation of Bizzilla by enabling people to share their skills and stories, as well as empowering cultural identity in a fairly produced way," she tells Guide Me Malta.
Aiming to revive the dying art of traditional Maltese lace making, Hajja hosts workshops connecting teachers and keen enthusiasts wishing to learn the beautiful craft, and a full six-month course is set to get underway in 2020.
"The full course will be focusing on supporting marginalised communities and making an impact in terms of social integration. Lacemaking will become a source of income for the 'Certified Hajja Lacemakers', just like the olden days!" says Bibiche.
At the moment, the workshops focus on producing lace to customise a handmade bow. "The bow is a symbol of our heritage. It is the perfect reflection of our beautiful and rich cultural tradition and acts as a piece of the Maltese identity. Each bow created at Hajja is unique, with its individual fingerprint and story to tell; a story that is intended to live on forever by passing the bow down through generations to come. Let's keep the lace alive, together!" she continues.
Lace has many connotations. From wedding dresses and period costume to Madonna’s iconic 1980s gloves, to that lacy Eurovision catsuit (you know the one), it would be a crying shame to let go of skill so ingrained in our heritage.
Along with glassblowing and filigree, the art of bizzilla is worth keeping alive, and we think the approach by the Hajja incentive is a fabulous way to go about it, in the company of seasoned teachers and a cool new crowd, all with a shared common interest of keeping this fashion staple current.
There’s a definite trend towards “old-fashioned” crafts being practiced by a young and hip generation, from “stitch and bitch” embroidery groups in New York to Fashion Knitwear at the London College of Fashion, and crochet all over the runways. Something tells us Maltese lacemaking might just be the next big thing!