We recently published a Lacoste buyers' guide, and in the review, we mentioned that one of the things you should check in order to ensure the authenticity of your classic Lacoste shirt is the buttons. There should only be two buttons, both of them mother of pearl.
Mother of pearl is also called nacre. It is a composite of organic and inorganic substances derived from the shell of most clams and mollusks. The material was believed to be in abundance all over the globe for a time. Today however, majority of the material is harvested from Asia.
So, what should you know about Lacoste mother of pearl buttons? Read on:
- Feel the button. It should feel cold to the touch.
- Observe the button face-up. Mother of pearl is iridescent. When you view the button from different angles, it should reflect various colors, with almost the same effect as when you look at soap bubbles or the inner part of an oyster shell.
- Try to flip the buttons so that you are viewing them face-down. You should be seeing different patterns on the button. Remember that authentic and classic Lacoste buttons are not made from synthetic material, so no two button patterns look alike. Expect to see something like the right button in the photo.
- Machine-wash the buttons with care. Mother of pearl buttons are renowned for their strength and durability. However, they require gentle cleaning because abrasion and chemical contact with detergents can cause nacre to lose its sparkle.
- Mother of pearl buttons can be dyed and hand-painted, but Lacoste uses them au naturale on the classic polo shirts. Hence, do not expect to see the word "Lacoste" or the crocodile logo printed on the button.
We hope you found our guide useful. Feel free to read other entries on our collection if you need more information about authentic Lacoste apparel.
0 comments:
Post a Comment