Design Project for the Resignification of Peniche's Bobbin Lace

Abstract

Peniche's bobbin lace has been a victim of the lack of demand for the product and the decrease of artisans who wish to manufacture it. The Bobbin lace is primarily generated on a small scale and most of the times for personal consumption. Apart from a few occasional orders these are the reasons that still maintain the artisanal production of bobbin lace. Identifying the problem of discontinuity of traditions and the lack of framing of these with contemporaneity arises combined with the remoteness of younger generations. In what design can it contribute to change this mercantile perspective?Getting the lace makers motivated for the production of different types of bobbin lace, using new materials, preserving at the same time the cultural heritage, it will be, in our opinion, one of the opportunities to reverse its decline status. We also believe on developing contemporary products to appeal the younger consumers, we’ll be capable of doing a direct association with bobbin lace. Therefore, the bobbin lace could be associated to other components outside the textile context by creating objects with materials like iron, plastic or rubber, not merely ornamental, but useful to the eyes of the final consumer. This resignification of the bobbin lace appeals to another meaning, more contemporary than the usual napron