The art of bespoke buttons
- Eduard has his own patented button making techniques
- He created bespoke buttons for world-famous department store Harrods
- He supplies theatres, opera houses and fashion designers
Eduard Rosa started making fabric coated buttons in 1976 when the custom manufacture of such items was virtually non-existent in the then-Czechoslovakia. Thirty years later he came across a vintage cord braided soutache button and it was "love at first sight", he says. "I learned the secrets of the trade and thread-winding step by step, with no tutorials, no artisans to consult, no specialty material suppliers." Taking inspiration from historical costumes, he combined the traditions of the craft with modern materials and a variety of patterns. Now he supplies unique handmade soutache buttons to theatres, operas and fashion designers across Europe.
INTERVIEW
My first ever button was made at my home while experimenting with different moulds and sizes. Later, I secretly started production in a small rented space and developed my own techniques, which are unique to button making even now.
We once crafted 35,000 buttons for tail-coats for the most famous department store in London – Harrods. It took us 17 days to complete, and fortunately, we were later awarded this contract several more times.
It was in 2016, when HM The Queen was celebrating her birthday. We decided to surprise her with a handmade collection of soutache buttons in different colours. She even sent a thank you note!
Our threads and components came from different countries all over the world, for example the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and even Thailand.
