Black horn button replacements

[MethusalehHoneysuckle]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to figure out the best way to resolve a problem with a suit I just purchased a couple weeks ago.

I managed to snag a Tom Ford 3-piece that fits like a glove for $2500 brand new. It had basted sleeves and on the listing I saw the little Tom Ford paper envelope that has the buttons.

Well, turns out that envelope had a spare front, spare pocket, buttons for suspenders, and... a single sleeve button.

I reached out to the seller but so far they're ghosting me.

I also reached out to Tom Ford customer service and they told me to go pound sand even though I offered to pay for a new set of buttons.

They appear to be black horn 15mm buttons. Here's the pic of the one I have:



I purchased some replacements on Amazon that largely look the same, however, the bottom side of the button is totally flat and I'm worried about how well it will clear the button holes on the sleeve:



I've looked at loads of different button shops online but I've yet to find a 15mm black horn button with a cup shaped bottom and rimmed top.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a place to find a similar style button? Anyone know of any tricks to get a set of Tom Ford buttons?

 

[philwongnz]

Call up an actual TF boutique (not a concession from a department store), they will help you. Customer service is usually top notch at a boutique. Make sure you grab the contact details of the sales assistant, i.e email or mobile (I have my SA on WhatsApp) and if they can source it for you. If you need a whole set you probably have to pay, but if a few spares, they usually give it to you for free. Good luck

 

[Despos]

Are you trying to get the buttons that have Tom Ford written on them?

buttons are sewn on with a shank. The button is elevated above the cloth and the thread is wrapped around the threads sewn thru the button and thru the cloth. This is how all suit buttons are sewn and what lifts the button up. The domed button is only a design feature.

 

[ppk]

I was looking for buttons earlier this year and I found that Britex in San Francisco has a decent selection. This button as a rimmed top, but I'm not sure about the domed bottom. You can email CS at Britex and ask.

Also have you tried Etsy? They have a ton of button sellers.

 

[eddyroxx]

You should be able to get them pretty easily from a TF boutique, they can tailor/set the sleeves as well.

 

[MethusalehHoneysuckle]

Call up an actual TF boutique (not a concession from a department store), they will help you. Customer service is usually top notch at a boutique. Make sure you grab the contact details of the sales assistant, i.e email or mobile (I have my SA on WhatsApp) and if they can source it for you. If you need a whole set you probably have to pay, but if a few spares, they usually give it to you for free. Good luck

You should be able to get them pretty easily from a TF boutique, they can tailor/set the sleeves as well.

Huh, interesting; I wouldn't have thought to call a boutique directly. I had just assumed their general customer service department would give me the same answer but it would be nice to talk to a human being. Closest one is in SF at the airport but sadly the next time I'll be at the airport will be outside their open hours. I have a few friends in NYC though in case someone needed to show up in person for some reason. I'll try this approach; thanks!

Are you trying to get the buttons that have Tom Ford written on them?

buttons are sewn on with a shank. The button is elevated above the cloth and the thread is wrapped around the threads sewn thru the button and thru the cloth. This is how all suit buttons are sewn and what lifts the button up. The domed button is only a design feature.

I was trying to get the ones that have Tom Ford written on them; yes. Good to know about the dome only being a design feature.

I was looking for buttons earlier this year and I found that Britex in San Francisco has a decent selection. This button as a rimmed top, but I'm not sure about the domed bottom. You can email CS at Britex and ask.

Also have you tried Etsy? They have a ton of button sellers.

I did reach out to them and a few others and crawled Etsy for hours. I ended up ordering some from Benno's since they seemed to be the closest thing and sound like they're high quality. Britex sent me photos of theirs but the back was totally flat from what I could tell.

 

[Despos]

Another source is BiasBespoke in NYC.
Or check The Lining Co. In London. They ship quickly to USA

No need to visit a TF store, call the store and ask for extra sleeve buttons. They usually keep extras AND have them when clients don’t want the name on the button and ask them to change the buttons. They should be willing to mail you buttons.

 

[MethusalehHoneysuckle]

Another source is BiasBespoke in NYC.
Or check The Lining Co. In London. They ship quickly to USA

No need to visit a TF store, call the store and ask for extra sleeve buttons. They usually keep extras AND have them when clients don’t want the name on the button and ask them to change the buttons. They should be willing to mail you buttons.

@eddyroxx @philwongnz I called a TF Boutique today and I think they're going to help but the sales associate said he had to check with his manager who wasn't in today. I don't live near one so I think they're just trying to figure out the shipping. When I described the buttons he said they were pretty standard on most of their suits so hopefully this will resolve itself pretty easily.

 

[eddyroxx]

Yep, the horn buttons for sleeves are all the same.
Trouser ones are different (closest to my finger)

 

[philwongnz]

@eddyroxx @philwongnz I called a TF Boutique today and I think they're going to help but the sales associate said he had to check with his manager who wasn't in today. I don't live near one so I think they're just trying to figure out the shipping. When I described the buttons he said they were pretty standard on most of their suits so hopefully this will resolve itself pretty easily.

They are very normal, almost 95% of TF suits used them, the other ones you may come across are grey and mother of pearl. At least for my TF suits, the navy, charcoal and grey uses them. This goes with blazers as well.

Good luck with them, also you might also need to find a tailor who can sew proper TF button holes on the cuff/sleeves. The last button hole are always longer than the rest and they shouldn't be kissing. Assuming yours is a 5 button one (3 is very uncommon and 4 is the NTTD suit).

I have attached a photo of my blazer for your reference. Although I love them to have gimp, this blazer is what I got via eBay

 

[philwongnz]

Yep, the horn buttons for sleeves are all the same.
Trouser ones are different (closest to my finger) View attachment 2231965

That's right 3 types of buttons for a suit, the trousers button (which are domed on both sides) are not just for trousers, they are also for internal blazer pockets.

 

[MethusalehHoneysuckle]

Yep, the horn buttons for sleeves are all the same.
Trouser ones are different (closest to my finger) View attachment 2231965

Thanks a lot for the pictures; that helps confirm things for me.

Also, I don't know if you go by the same handle on eBay or not. If you do I had reached out to you a few days ago for the dimensions on a Tom Ford suit you had listed. I went to check on it again today and noticed you updated it, then looked at the screen name and thought "huh, small world" assuming you're the same person.

They are very normal, almost 95% of TF suits used them, the other ones you may come across are grey and mother of pearl. At least for my TF suits, the navy, charcoal and grey uses them. This goes with blazers as well.

Good luck with them, also you might also need to find a tailor who can sew proper TF button holes on the cuff/sleeves. The last button hole are always longer than the rest and they shouldn't be kissing. Assuming yours is a 5 button one (3 is very uncommon and 4 is the NTTD suit).

I have attached a photo of my blazer for your reference. Although I love them to have gimp, this blazer is what I got via eBay

Yeah luckily I brought in another Tom Ford suit that already had the 5 button setup and she was pretty quick to notice the longer stitching. The basted one is indeed 5 button and she said she knows what to do after seeing the jacket that already had the holes on it.

Thanks for attaching the picture; much appreciated.

 

[philwongnz]

Thanks a lot for the pictures; that helps confirm things for me.

Also, I don't know if you go by the same handle on eBay or not. If you do I had reached out to you a few days ago for the dimensions on a Tom Ford suit you had listed. I went to check on it again today and noticed you updated it, then looked at the screen name and thought "huh, small world" assuming you're the same person.


Yeah luckily I brought in another Tom Ford suit that already had the 5 button setup and she was pretty quick to notice the longer stitching. The basted one is indeed 5 button and she said she knows what to do after seeing the jacket that already had the holes on it.

Thanks for attaching the picture; much appreciated.

Hi there, I do have the same user name on ebay but I am not selling any TF suits at the moment, do you have the link of the listing?

 

[MethusalehHoneysuckle]

Hi there, I do have the same user name on ebay but I am not selling any TF suits at the moment, do you have the link of the listing?

Oh sorry, I was talking about eddyroxx.

 

[MethusalehHoneysuckle]

A big big big thanks to @philwongnz and @eddyroxx for your clutch suggestion, as well as Marco from the Tom Ford store in Beverly Hills haha.

He hooked me up with my official Tom Ford sleeve buttons and they're now in the hands of my tailor being sewn on.

Never thought to call the store directly and you totally saved the day. Thank you so much!