Embroidery is more than decoration or embellishment.
Throughout history, it’s symbolised power, status, love, war, craftsmanship and storytelling.
So when I came across a recent publication of The Textile Art Magazine, Embroidery, featuring the 2024 Hand & Lock Prizewinners, I immediately wanted to research Hand & Lock further.
What exactly is this organisation, and how does it preserve the art and techniques of embroidery?
Embroidery is a legacy, and Hand & Lock is among only a few organisations that carry that legacy with grace and pride into the modern era.
What is Hand & Lock? It’s Britain’s oldest embroidery atelier, and has been in business since 1767.
That’s over 250 years of knowledge and expertise, still offering service, quality and luxury.
In this episode of the Stitch Safari Podcast, I want to journey into the story and history behind Hand & Lock because it’s fascinating not only for its longevity but also for its myriad associations with royalty, religious outfitting, the stars of stage and screen, and now education, not to mention the incredible global prize that’s helping to keep the art of embroidery alive and thriving for a new generation of artists.
This is skill preservation cohabiting with a sense of nurturing the next generation of textile and embroidery artists while also providing a platform championing the future of embroidery through education, the application of constant standards and the wish to see a forward progression in embroidery as a valid art form.
Join me as I explore this pillar of excellence, a house where embroidery is not simply a craft but an art, a legacy and a living, breathing story – all recorded in stylish stitching.
In the heart of London, the past and present are woven together like threads in a beautifully exotic cloth.
Founded in 1767, Hand & Lock has stitched its way through history – in fact, centuries of history, to adorn Kings and Queens, Generals, and soldiery, the clergy, couture runways and stars of Hollywood and Opera, whispering beauty into the very fabric of ceremony, parade, religion, theatre and fashion.
The Hand & Lock website states, ‘Hand & Lock prides itself on the fact that the design methods and embroidery techniques have changed very little since 1767.’
Let that sink in for a moment. In today’s world, we’re bombarded with words such as innovation and artistry, but the true essence of embroidery has changed very little since then, and Hand & Lock acknowledges that. Therein lies their success.
For centuries, they have understood that the way forward is to look back at the traditional techniques of the past.
But back to history, let’s travel back in time to 1767. In Spanish America, the Jesuits were suppressed in Spanish colonies and the Kingdom of Naples. British Parliament passed the Townsend Acts imposing taxes on common products such as paper, paint, lead, tea and glass. Samuel Wallis became the first European to visit Tahiti, and the Island of Pitcairn was first sighted. Additionally, the Burmese-Siamese war culminated in the fall of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
And a Huguenot refugee named M. Hand escapes from France to London and starts a lace-making business.
The beginning of his recorded sales, samples, and drafts is in 1880, and the business transitions to a new owner in 1898.
The M. Hand & Co atelier was destroyed during the Blitz of WWII in 1940, reopening close by in the same street seven years later.
In 1953, CE Phipps embroidered two iconic red dresses for the Hollywood movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, worn by Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell when they sang ‘A Little Girl from Litterock’.
In 1956, the company was taken over by Stanley Lock and in 1972, the company S. Lock Ltd was awarded a Royal Warrant.
S. Lock & Co. were tasked with creating the embroidery on the 139 metre tulle veil worn by Princess Diana for her 1981 wedding, and in 1988, M Hand & Co provided the Goldwork embroidery for Michael Jackson’s iconic military-inspired suit by Gieves and Hawkes.
This is a breathtaking embroidery history, but their history continues with S. Lock & Co embroidering the iconic Elvis Dress worn by Princess Diana in 1989, and in 1998, M Hand & Co was acquired by the Macleod family.
Moving into a new millennium, the year 2000 sees the launch of the annual prize for embroidery and in 2001, M Hand & Co merges with S Lock Ltd to form Hand & Lock.
The atelier moved in 2005, and in 2012, provided embroidery services for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the London Olympics.
2017 saw the company’s 250th anniversary, and in 2022 provided embroidery for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Various ceremonial embroideries were created for King Charles III’s Coronation in 2023, and in 2024, they were awarded The Royal Warrant as Embroiderers and Suppliers of Military Accoutrements to His Majesty, King Charles III.
Also in 2024, Hand & Lock launches its Embroidery Diploma.
Now that’s an impressive recorded history, worthy of one of the world’s most prestigious embroidery houses, renowned for their exquisite craftsmanship.
So for over two centuries, Hand & Lock has provided fine embroidery that blends traditional hand techniques with innovative modern artistry, enabling embroidery to be at the forefront of both heritage and contemporary design, adorning royal garments, military uniforms, clerical garments and collaborations with top-tier fashion houses such as Dior, Burberry and Louis Vuitton.
Their artisans specialise in the finest techniques such as Goldwork, Tambour Beading and Silk Shading, techniques that have defined luxury craftsmanship for centuries. They now also include digitised and hand-guided machine embroidery for their customers, proving that the old and the new can be paired successfully.
Bernadette Banner, an American YouTuber, has worked in conjunction with Hand & Lock to create an embroidered replica of an 18th-century waistcoat, combining digitised and hand-guided machine embroidery with hand embroidery and Goldwork techniques. It’s entertaining and beautifully edited. Watch it here.
Let’s now move on to the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery.
Hand to hand, needle to needle and with the threads of time, embroidery techniques have been handed down for generations.
In the year 2000, a new initiative, the annual Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery, was first established to celebrate excellence and innovation in the art of embroidery, allowing students and professionals from across the world to submit their work.
Alistair Macleod, Chairman of Hand & Lock, states this: ‘My first highlight was the first prizegiving held at the Knitting and Stitching Show in 2001. We only had 5 entrants, and little did we know, it was only the beginning…It has since grown to over 500 entries per year from at least 40 different countries.’
The success of this initiative proves embroidery is not a forgotten art, but a living, thriving, breathing one. One that still excites passion and a quest for excellence, and experimentation.
The prize honours new voices and new ideas, ensuring that embroidery in all its forms can continue and evolve, timelessly, fearlessly, endlessly threaded into the story of humanity.
It’s not just an accolade. It opens portals to international stages, collaborations with leading designers and a lifetime of recognition that can significantly grow a career, help gain international recognition and opportunities with major fashion and design brands.
Looking beyond that individual success, the Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery fosters new talent while pushing the boundaries of what embroidery can achieve. It also plays a crucial role in preserving embroidery as a vital, evolving art form for emerging and established artists, designers and craftspeople for generations to come.
As the world’s leading embroidery competition, it nurtures the next generation of embroidery artists dedicated to the art and craft of embroidery, welcoming entries from across the globe to celebrate forward-thinking stitch-related art, design and creativity.
Even a spot on the shortlist can transform an embroiderer’s career, with exposure to industry leaders, mentoring opportunities and international acclaim.
This vital platform champions the future of embroidery, keeping traditions alive yet inspiring new directions, ensuring that embroidery continues to thrive in fashion, art, and design.
The Hand & Lock website states: ‘The prize-giving has grown from a small studio gathering to a prominent industry exhibition. Past winners have launched successful businesses or joined top fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen, Richard Quinn and Chanel, cementing the competition’s role in nurturing new talent.’
Now to the innovation of The Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery. It’s time to look at some of the winners for 2024. I’ll focus on two categories only and the concepts, techniques and materials used.
There seem to be six categories in total, two solely for students and open entrants.
If you’re a trend-watcher in what’s hot in embroidery, this is the place to keep an eye on each year.
With the theme of ‘Traces of Transition: Embroidery That Illuminates the Layers of Our Lives’, the 2024 Hand & Lock Prize for Embroidery brought together 33 finalists, highlighting the myriad creative interpretations from intricate designs to conceptual masterpieces that demonstrated the enduring artistry and cultural relevance of embroidery in today’s world.
Hand & Lock provides a web page dedicated to the 2024 winners.
Student Fashion Winners
1st place went to Serina Lee with Autonomy: With a focus on textile design, hand embroidery and hand painting, exploring the interplay of fashion and art inspired by calligraphy and ink painting. Autonomy’s theme, where garments guide their creation inspired by the principles of Web3 and Blockchain technology, is worked with UV-reactive threads to add depth, recycled crystals and bullion knots.
2nd place went to Athalia Lewartowski with C’yborg_Organism: highlights the coexistence of natural elements and technological advancements. The concept of a bug, both as an unexpected element in nature and a glitch in technological systems, serves as a metaphor for the fusion and disruptions evident in the embroidery. Layers of metallic beads, hematite and Swarovski crystals mimic both the exoskeleton of an insect and the inner workings of machines.
3rd place went to Pearl Lu, with Double Happiness. Using a character appearing in Chinese weddings that translates to Double Happiness, Pearl created a ‘Double Happiness’ beaded top made of thousands of glass beads that weigh on the human body, just like the burdens that come with marriage. The mending and fixing of garments symbolise a façade of a picture-perfect love story.
So, with only one category, clearly demonstrated is a brilliant use of concept, exploring highly unusual and clever themes. Scrutinising the word bug for a double meaning is brilliant, as is the weight that marriage can deliver. As for Web3 and Blockchain technology, I had to look that up, and it is interesting.
Now to the Open Textile Art Winners.
1st place went to Julie Heaton with It Had To Be So. With a drawing practice grounded in free machine embroidery, Julie uses art to navigate traumatic loss, utilising threads to embody words that are hard to say. Heaton uses photorealistic drawings worked using free machine embroidery on a water-soluble ground, allowing the unveiling of her voice and finding of courage to express what had been previously too hard to say. Using her scoliotic spine and the changes to her form as an allegory for the unseen effects that the traumatic loss had on her body and mind.
2nd place went to Iskren Lozanov with Rebirth. Iskren is a Bulgarian fashion designer living in Ibiza. He’s drawn inspiration from its rich history, mysticism and symbolism of the island’s ancient Phoenician roots, bohemian culture and spiritual energy. With a concept of the old making way for the new, exploring ancient cultures, historical artefacts and natural evolution, such as Ernst Haeckel’s illustrations of early life forms, rich with the symbolism of the Mayans, Egyptians and Mesopotamians, he aimed to weave a narrative that captures the essence of transformation. Iskren utilised up-cycled materials, seeking to illuminate the layers of the past that continue to influence our present and future and the complex journey of human evolution. With a foundation of cotton gauze, adorned with tambour beading, goldwork and raised work techniques, he also included glass seed beads, bugle beads, and upcycled charms. The embroidered torso symbolises the intersection of human experience and cultural evolution.
And finally, 3rd place went to Blair Martin Cahill with Boatswain’s Mate Billy. This is one of a series of piscine-human creatures. Historically, fish have symbolised the fluidity of change and transformation. This metamorphosis mirrors the journey from the ocean depths to the expanse of human imagination, where fish transform into sailors navigating uncharted waters. Folklore and myth remind us that it is not just a biological process but a narrative about overcoming challenges and embracing new roles of change and growth. Blending maritime history with fantastical elements brings Boatswain’s Mate Billy to life through Cahill’s aquatic mariner clad in a traditional 1600s uniform. 40 different thread colours were used, carefully layered to add depth and richness to the design. Blair’s goal was to create a piece that felt both antique and whimsical, capturing the timelessness of maritime history, infusing it with a playful, imaginative spirit and fantastical storytelling.
Again, three very different approaches to the theme, resulting in works that are unique in their visual and deeper narratives.
I must mention the Chairman’s Choice Award Winner, given to Fiona Cowell for My Metamorphosis. This work celebrates the transition from one stage in life to another. Using tonal needle painting and stumpwork techniques, Fiona can represent the rough and smooth passages of life, using the changing seasons to portray the external effects of the passing years.
Visit the website. The images alone are worth it, but do read the statements relating to each work. They are inspiring.
As a proud Australian embroiderer, I must mention that acclaimed Australian embroiderer, Karen Torisi, known for her work in tambour beading and hand embroidery, won the 2011 Hand & Lock Embroidery Prize in the Open Category and Highest Australian Entry in the 2009 Hand & Lock Prize.
Hand & Lock also offer online courses, in-person courses, taster and short courses, guest tutor workshops and external courses.
And so, the tradition lives on. Not as embroidery frozen in time, but embroidery that’s vibrant, daring and full of life in every stitch.
The legacy of Hand & Lock is the championing of artists through their annual Prize, reminding us that even the most delicate threads carry powerful and insightful stories across the centuries and cultures.
Every stitch has a story, and every artist a chapter to tell.
This ancient art continues to inspire, evolve and endure – one thread, one vision and one stitch at a time.
In its own quietly rebellious way, embroidery leaves a mark, still able to handcraft beauty in this fast-moving world.
