Selecting and sewing on blazer badges – English Artisan-crafted blazer badges by Benson & Clegg

Some months ago, we explored Benson & Clegg’s beautiful brass buttons and how to sew them onto your favourite club jacket. No club jacket is complete without a badge to show off your favourite sport affiliation or military allegiance. With that in mind, Benson & Clegg have a vast array of blazer badges with a wealth of designs ranging from golf and hunting, to prestigious universities and military regiments. However, if you seek a personalised design featuring your own club or sport, a service is available to create custom blazer badges.

Custom Blazer Badge Design

Releasing my inner musketeer, I requested a badge for my fencing club in Paris, Les Lames du Marais. After a short exchange with Mark Gordon from Benson & Clegg, I drafted up a design on Photoshop using a combination of my club’s crest and an existing badge. Below is my original design compared with the final result. Remarkable, no?

The process to create the badge took just over six weeks given that they are handmade by artisans from bullion wire, silks and cottons. According to Benson & Clegg, the making of a badge is an exacting art with each piece of wire being individually cut and placed by hand to produce an embroidered image. The complexity and variety of textures and contours create a beautifully structured finish even on the simplest of motifs. I’m overwhelmed by the finish and will be sporting my badge with pride.

How To Sew On A Blazer Badge

So, how does one sew a club badge onto the breast pocket of a blazer? The process in itself is not difficult in theory. However, one does require nimble fingers and dexterity.

Step 1 – Placement

Place the badge over the pocket to clearly visualise its placement. If you wish, you can use pins to fix it in place while you work. This could prevent any undue slippage.

Step 2 – Invisible Knot

Begin by either creating an invisible knot as outlined in the brass buttons guide. Alternatively, you can create a simple knot in your thread and push it through an area that will be hidden by the badge.

Step 3 – Retain Functionality

Note that when sewing the badge on, the aim is to retain the usefulness of the pocket. Therefore, it’s best to avoid sewing all the way through the blazer. Not only will sewing through create a mess on the lining, but it will also put stress on the jacket and cause it to hand unnaturally.

Try to at least sew within the front pocket. If this proves too challenging, you can go all the way through the pocket while holding it open with you left thumb and index finger. A good desk lamp might be handy in order to keep an eye on what you’re doing.

Step 4 – Stitching

Sew the badge onto the blazer while following the black border. A good black thread should sink into the felt and become invisible. Don’t pull so tight that it stresses the material, but do make sure that your thread is tight enough so that the badge doesn’t hang.

Note: Unless you’re a perfectionist, the space between each thread can be between one and two centimeters without being untidy. There’s no need to pour blood, sweat and tears over perfect stitching as it shouldn’t be visible afterwards.

Step 5 – Finishing Touches

At first, the badge is relatively easy to sew on even if the felt can be a bit stiff. However, as you get to the end, you may notice that you will have much smaller room to maneuver between the pocket and the badge. Try changing the angle slightly so that the needle is already in the direction of the thread.

When finished, a simple knot will do the trick. If you’re confident with the invisible knot technique as described in the previous guide, it will be especially effective here.

 The Custom Blazer Badge In Place

… And there we have it. A beautiful hand-sewn badge to complete the blazer with a dapper club flair. Ideal for the upcoming spring months to accompany a donned straw boater and cricket trousers, a club jacket is a fantastic accessory for the discerning gentleman. Although most blazers can be converted into this fashion quite well, dedicated designs work best as they sport fine details such as stripes and motifs that accentuate the badge and brass buttons.

Benson & Clegg’s blazer badge service is unique in providing such refined and detailed craftsmanship. Benson & Clegg have held the Royal Warrant to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales since 1992, allowing for the supply of official buttons and badges to Prince Charles’ Royal Household. The Royal Warrant is a prestigious seal of assurance that the holder provides exemplary craftsmanship, quality and service, and is a sign of recognition that should not be overlooked. The sheer pleasure of witnessing a sketchy Photoshop concept that I provided being conceived into an intricate embroidered piece of artwork is quite breathtaking and something that I look forward to sporting with pride.

About the Author: Charles-Philippe

Charles-Philippe's work has covered a broad range of subjects from cigars and fragrances to wine and spirits. Fascinated by how history and culture together form the unique contemporary identities of alcoholic beverages, his articles follow an in-depth exploration of their development through a combination of tradition and innovation.

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