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Most people, when looking at a jacket, notice the fabric, the cut, and the buttons.
But true connoisseurs look at the buttonhole first.
Why?
Because this is where the tailor’s signature and the garment’s level truly reveal themselves.
Typically, jacket buttonholes are sewn using a specialized sewing machine.
These can be seen on the front of the jacket and on the lapel. They differ slightly, but essentially this is a standard solution — well-made, yet not refined.
At a higher level, buttonholes are sewn by hand.
This is the moment when a detail turns into craftsmanship.
Handmade buttonholes are most commonly found in bespoke suits and jackets, and in Latvia this tradition is still little known.
On a jacket lapel, a special type of buttonhole can be made, known as the Milanese buttonhole.
It is sewn using special threads:
This buttonhole is not simply stitched around the edges. It is woven using a complex technique, making it appear slightly raised above the fabric. This creates texture, depth, and a sense of luxury.
And this is where true Italian thinking begins.
A Milanese buttonhole should not be the same color as the jacket.
It should be contrasting — for example, matching the tone of the pocket square. If the pocket square is blue, the thread is chosen in blue.
Because details should be visible. Beautiful. Expressive.
If a jacket features a Milanese buttonhole, a small loop is always made on the reverse side of the lapel.
This is not decoration.
It serves a very specific purpose.
If a gentleman wishes to look impeccably elegant, he takes a small rose, trims the stem, inserts it through the buttonhole, and secures the stem into this small loop so it does not slip out from behind the lapel.
The result?
A perfect, classic, Italian style that draws attention not with loudness, but with nuance.
Because such details are never found in mass-produced garments.
They represent handwork, time, patience, and the culture of craftsmanship.
The Milanese buttonhole is not just about beauty.
It is a signal that the jacket was made with an understanding of tradition, elegance, and true tailoring mastery.
And it is precisely these nuances that separate a simply good suit from a truly exceptional one.
At BG Suits, we craft garments with this same attention to detail — whether made-to-measure or selected from our ready collection. Discover our catalog or schedule a personal tailoring consultation.
