Lace Almost Died--Then Along Came the Thong

Traditional Polish lace almost met its demise...until sexy thongs, g-strings and other racy undergarments helped bring it back to life.

Today's the AP has a story datelined Koniakow, Poland. "Lace wasn't selling in the quantities it once did, and the tradition was starting to slowly disappear,' said Malgorzata Stanaszek, owner of the KONI-art, a lingerie maker. A friend joked, 'why not make thongs?' and they did.

Now 65 women work at home churning out lace panties, g-strings, and bras for woman all over the world.

"The sexy designs are a far cry from the stodgy doilies, curtains and table runners of the past, leading some residents to view the thongs as a slap against the village’s lace-making tradition.

”It’s really not beautiful at all what they’re doing,” said Joanna Pielka, an elderly woman on her way to church in Istebna. ”Do there have to be so many holes?”

Stanaszek says some older lace makers remain opposed. ”There is a small group of people that is against the underwear, and they will remain that way,” she said. ”But the dispute is tailing off because it’s not as if people are running around in the streets in this stuff.”

”It pays more to make thongs,” said Barska, her fingers rapidly stitching blue thread. ”Table runners take a week to make because of the detail of each flower. Thongs you can make faster.”