Shameless plug. This month’s issue of The Rake has an article I wrote on the “Boutonnière Milanaise”, or the Asola Lucida. Just a heads-up for those among us who can’t get enough buttonhole porn.
Category: Asola Lucida
For Mike, who says he still doesn’t get it. I hope this helps. (Sorry that the illustrations are rotated from the photos, but maybe this will actually help) 1.Cut through the cloth, overcast, and lay a length of gimp. Do not wax the silk twist. Unlike regular buttonholes which start from the top, the twist must be anchored on the bottom of the hole (on the wrong side). Feed the needle through the slit, thenRead More
So I had another little moment of insight. Or maybe my thickheadedness deserted me briefly. I was contemplating my lapel buttonholes last week, the by now infamous asola lucida ones, that is, and finding them just too chunky, especially when compared to some nicer ones like the Tom Ford. The thread I am using is just too heavy. To wit Mine And theirs Silk buttonhole twist is only available in two sizes these days, theRead More
I think the Asolsa Lucida, or glossy buttonhole (the example above being from a Tom Ford garment), originated in the Abruzzi region of Italy as it is most commonly seen on garments made in this area. It is also very common in Paris, where it is known as the boutonnière Milanaise, though likely for the brand of gimp that was commonly used and not the city; it is worth noting that most of the grandRead More