KONIAKOW, POLAND - The only thing Malgorzata Krakowska didn't expect during an economic world crisis this holiday season was for her talent for making lace to make her busier, by doing less.
Using a craft passed down from her mother, and from her mother's mother, Krakowska is using her talent for crafting lace in creative, eyebrow-raising ways. Hand made lace lingerie has hit the world by storm, and for Krakowska this is a matter of sink or swim.
"I just can't believe how successful this is," says Krakowska. "If we still lived off our tradition lace products we'd be very hungry right now."
The lace making tradition started nearly 200 years ago has been passed through her family ever since, and even though she will spend 8 hours making one thong that's a far cry from the solid week it would take for a traditional tablecloth.
"My mom taught me how to do lace, and we've done that all our lives. We thought, why not try selling something new," she says. "Something which doesn't take so long to make."
Where the inspiration for creating such minimalistic things like g-strings, thongs and bra and pantie sets came from - she wouldn't reveal but hinted it had been done for much longer and was inspired by the nature surrounding Koniakow.
"This is what we do," Krakowska translated for her mother Ania. "We've been doing this for a long time, and some people think by making lingerie we're dishonoring the Koniakow lace tradition - but, we need to eat too."
The economic crisis has left few alone, and for the lace makers of the tiny village of Koniakow, Poland they are no exception.
