Short answer: yes. In the West African market, cord lace, guipure lace and dry lace are names for the same family of lace: heavy embroidery without a net ground, with the motifs outlined by a raised cord.
What makes cord lace different
Most lace is embroidered onto a ground cloth that stays in the finished fabric — cotton voile, organza or net. Guipure is embroidered onto a carrier that is dissolved afterwards. What remains is only the embroidery: motifs joined by embroidered bars, each outline thickened with a satin cord. That is why cord lace is:
- Heavy and sculptural — it holds its shape and stands away from the body.
- Open — you see skin or lining between the motifs, so it is usually lined.
- “Dry” — it has no soft ground, which is where the Lagos market name dry lace comes from.
Cord lace vs Swiss voile vs net lace
Swiss voile keeps its cotton ground: light, matte, cool — the daytime and men’s lace. Net or tulle lace keeps a fine mesh ground, often with beads or glitter — the evening lace. Cord lace has no ground at all — the statement lace.
How to judge cord lace quality
- Turn it over. Real embroidery has a back side; you can see and feel the stitches.
- Pull gently. The bars between motifs should hold, not stretch open.
- Look at the cord. It should be even and tight around every motif.
- Ask where it was embroidered and for the design number.
Every OLORI cord lace is embroidered on schiffli frames in Lustenau, Austria, and every parcel carries a certificate stamped by the mill. Shop guipure and cord lace.
