Since 1834: handcrafted silk flowers
Individually crafted buttonhole flowers have been made since 1834 in the picturesque Sebnitz near the Bohemian border. Even Goethe raved in his Faust about the beautiful Saxon blossoms: "For we consider it commendable, worthy of praise entirely, Our flowers, brilliantly artificial, Blooming all year round."
From the Archive: Floral Decorations are Shipped Worldwide
The peak of artificial flower manufacturing occurred around 1900: More than 200 manufacturers with almost 15,000 employees produced silk flowers, partly in home work, and supplied them to the whole world. By the end of the 1920s, these companies covered three-quarters of the global demand. An important market has always been the fashion industry. One only has to think of the lavish floral decorations of ladies' hats - but also of the indispensable boutonnière, the buttonhole flower on the lapel of elegant gentlemen.
The delicate boutonnière from the manufactory
Impressive: just a few of the historical punching dies
Particularly popular to this day: white carnation, red carnation, and time and again the simple forget-me-not. Today, only a few employees along the Elbe still "flower". The result: delicate buttonhole flowers of selected quality. Here, every detail is crafted by hand with the utmost precision. Shown in the picture above: the historical punching forms that still give our boutonnières their shape today. This is how gossamer works of art are created far from polyester and paper. Here, handwork counts, using silk that has been solidified with potato starch and gelatin, taffeta, and silk velvet, as well as wire carefully wrapped with silk threads.
The Revival of the Buttonhole Flower
Tradition: Each unique piece is hand-embossed and stamped.
And another quote, this time from Oscar Wilde, on the subject: "A truly impeccable buttonhole flower is the only thing that connects art and nature." Today it looks like this: Of the formerly around 200 manufacturers in the Saxon Switzerland, only two businesses still exist today - specialized in lifelike flowers for decorations, opera productions, fashionable accessories, and haute couture. The buttonhole flower of the gentleman, the boutonnière has always been part of it, fell into oblivion for a long time and is now experiencing its well-deserved revival. In the picture: Handicraft is still highly valued as ever.
Care instructions for your silk boutonnière
Artfully: the color design of the silk flowers
Never clean your filigree buttonhole flower with water, but exclusively with a brush or a hairdryer (cold). In addition to the colors made according to historical recipes, gelatin is also used in the production of our filigree artworks. By the way, the trick is the attachment of the boutonnière: a loop-like stem wrapped in silk spreads slightly apart after being inserted into the buttonhole. This looks natural, sits firmly - and neither needles nor clips are used.
Mrs. Krüger "blümelt" our boutonnieres by hand.
In the opera, the rule is: check in your heavy coat at the cloakroom and only then take the boutonnière out of the box and put it on. By the way, in the picture you can see Mrs. Krüger, who individually crafts almost all the boutonnières for Herr von Welt by hand. Tip for those who (still) hesitate: our mini-boutonnières.
Text: Andreas Thenhaus
Photos: Sven Höhne, René Gaens
More on the topic:
Artificial Flowers 1905 - The History of the Boutonnière
The boutonniere on the lapel: Boutonnière
