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The Great Lace Event - Review
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That recognition was very emotional, given that in 2023, due to health reasons, I drastically reduced the brand's activity, and I really went through the grieving process of closing it. Seeing my return supported with events like this was a spectacular recognition that, honestly, I didn't think was possible a year or two ago.
But let's start talking about the venue, the Palmer House, an early 20th-century hotel that could easily be featured in a print ad about ghost hotels—seriously. How can a building be so big? The slightly decadent Art Deco style of this city captivated me.
BUT—and this is where I feel community is better than any individual over-preparation—the community there rallied to help us. It was already clear our packages wouldn't arrive, and everyone pitched in to make sure we had everything we needed, not a single blouse, not a single shoe. It was so lovely to see the models lending each other things so everyone would feel comfortable. Meanwhile, I found a small haberdashery run by an elderly gentleman. There I was able to stock up on ribbons, lace, and beads and improvise a few bows or headpieces for the show. And the gentleman also told us dozens of anecdotes about the history of Chicago and his life as a haberdasher. Please, support small businesses!!
And the show was beautiful, as the photos attest!!
And Chicago is so beautiful!! We had Chicago Pizza and saw a bit of the city. I really want to go back and see the Art Museum and the Museum of Surgery.
Thanks Frillinois and everyone who said hi!
Event Review: The Great Lace - Chicago, USA, March 2026
We were invited to Chicago, that's amazing, right?!
I think it's by far the biggest Lolita event I've ever been to. So here's a small review so you can feel a bit like you were there!
The Great Lace was organized by the Frillinois. It consisted of a ton of activities spread over three days, including a fashion show, a tea party, and vendors.
This year's guests of honor were Enchantic Enchantilly, Harajuku Hearts, and us, among dozens of other incredible EGL and J-fashion brands and stores.
The truth is, it took me a while to realize I was a guest of honor and not a regular both (for me that was more than enough!!), and when I saw they'd placed us on the same level as Chantilly, imposter syndrome took over, haha. What a super honor, thank you <3
Then, on Friday, we gave a panel discussion, and that's where I met many of you. It was so interesting to hear your questions because it's not something we can hear often in person. I was really surprised by the variety of questions; they covered a huge range of topics, from technical inquiries about how something is produced or details about the brand's history, to more specific things about inspirations, suggestions for new themes for collections… As a designer, it was truly valuable because it's really difficult to know what decisions to make. There are things or products that you think weren't very relevant, and then suddenly people remember them and wish they had more. It helps you appreciate the effort and also helps you decide better what to do in the future because you can't do everything! On the other hand, it's such an energy boost to see people's happy faces because, even though I get feedback online, the screen dulls the emotion, and I always come back to the same question: have people forgotten about Violet Fane? hahaha
Otherwise, it was amazing to be able to chat about horror movies, our saintly father Guillermo del Toro, and shojo manga. And I have an incredible memory of this being the event where, by far, there were the most people dressed in Violet Fane! Taking photos with so many girls wearing our outfits together was hilarious; we looked like a football team!! Thank you <3
Regarding the fashion show, I'm going to tell you a little drama (it has a happy ending): Before the event, customs stopped all our boxes with the looks from the show and all the merchandise. Those boxes contained a ton of things for the show: headpieces, props, a little bit of everything so we wouldn't have to rack our brains looking for blouses, tights, or headpieces that would match. The truth is, we sewed like crazy for a few days to make sure they were ready, and when we found out they wouldn't make it to the event, the anxiety was real. But I guess I packed some really unusual antiques, and something set off security at the airport. For whatever reason - Don't send 19th-century antiques, doll parts, old medical equipment, and Victorian photographs; apparently, it will make the airport suspect you have too much swag!!!
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