Just before Christmas, we were commissioned to make a bespoke Duffle coat in a 27½ oz Navy Wool Overcoating from the Holland and Sherry mill. The design was based on the original British Duffle coat that hit just above the knee and fastened with a toggle and rope combination. It had two large patch pockets on the outside and a roomy ‘bucket’ hood.
The heavyweight nature of the cloth ensures the wearer is kept well protected from the elements and is presumed to be worn with other winter accessories, notably gloves. It is for this reason that the distinctive rope and toggle fastening is used for ease of fastening with the gloves still on.
For this commission, we were tasked with sourcing the toggle buttons from Walnut, a highly valued timber with an exceptional variation in colour and grain. Plenty of imitation Walnut buttons exist in the trimming shops that surround us in Soho, however, they would not suffice.
Bespoke toggles for this bespoke creation were the obvious solution and we were delighted to find a partner in Graham and his community of green woodworkers in London. Graham and his team kindly shared with us the process of turning, hand craving and oiling a set of 12 buttons. Each piece entirely unique and made by hand, perfectly mirroring the process of coat making.
