Removing the white stitch on a new coat

Friday, January 17th 2025
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I am not, by nature, a confrontational person. But there is something clothing-related that forces me to confront strangers, and in fact in some ways to criticise them. It hasn’t always gone well.

Some brands use white basting thread to sew a small tacking ‘X’ on the vents of their coats. You know the one - it’s there so the nicely pressed vents don’t get all crumpled in transit. The vent is the first thing that could splay open, and crease. 

Big brands do this much more than small ones (like those covered on PS). They have larger volumes, and often go through more pairs of hands (eg from a factory to a regional warehouse, to a local warehouse to a store). 

The problem is, customers don’t necessarily know what the stitch is for, and sometimes the staff don’t either. They should really remove the stitch before wrapping up the purchase, but they sometimes don’t. And with an online order that whole stage gets skipped anyway. 

So people walk around on the street with a big white cross on their coats that shouldn’t be there. And even more painfully for a PS reader, the vents will bow out in an odd way because they’re fastened at the bottom. 

But should you ever tell them?

I have done, a couple of times. The first time I did it, the person was very nice and appreciative. I was polite and even apologetic in my approach, I told them in the same way I’d tell someone that their laces were undone - like you assumed they’d want to know and just hadn’t noticed, rather than like a lecture on etiquette. 

The second time, however, the person was rather taken aback and told me to go away. Or rather, said ‘f*** off!’. It put me off doing it again, and I never have. 

But when I was talking to family members over Christmas, most of them weren’t aware of why the stitches were there, and said I should definitely tell people. That they would too. 

The stitches are very easy to remove, by the way. They’re deliberately big and loose in order to make it easy. In fact, arguably it’s worse when the stitches have come loose through wear and just hang there, like a pair of undone shoelaces. I’m not sure how people don’t notice that.

To remove them you can just use regular scissors because the stitch is so big, but a stitch picker (above) is a useful thing to have - for this or similar jobs. They only have a sharp edge on the inside of the fork, which reduces any chance of catching the cloth. 

This is particularly useful if you want to do things like remove the label from a scarf or pocket handkerchief. I usually do this with handkerchiefs - because otherwise they always find a way show out of the pocket - but not always with scarves. 

The key here is to make sure you cut the stitch that attaches the label to the handkerchief, rather than the one running around the edge of the handkerchief. If you cut of the stitch the end furthest into the label it’s usually OK. 

Some bespoke tailors do leave basting stitches on parts of a finished jacket when they ship it. This is often with tailoring that is folded, rather than hung inside a hanger box. The aim is the same - to keep parts that could move around from getting creased. 

You can usually remove these in the same way as other basting stitches, just cutting the thread and pulling it out. If one end stays put, it’s because it has a knot securing it at that end. So find the knot and pull from there. 

I should mention the fact that Maison Margiela uses basting thread like this as a decorative detail, deliberately sewing through to the back of the garment so four stitches show. No one’s suggesting those should be cut off. 

But you should - absolutely - cut off the brand label that sometimes appears on the sleeve of a suit. This was introduced to make it easier for department stores to identify brands on a rack, and is meant to be removed at the point of purchase, in the same way as the stitches on a vent. But some people leave them on, thinking it’s meant to be there and/or that it’s a great way to show people how expensive your suit is. 

That one, however, is probably best not to tell people about.

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Alex

And, worth mentioning: pockets that are basted shut, if you plan to use those pockets.

On several(!) thrift store purchases, some of them several decades old, I’ve had to open the pockets, or sometimes only the left pocket. The previous owners never did. Breast pockets, too, sometimes.

Fortunately, I have a seam ripper at hand (among other sewing supplies). Only one suit I had to bring to a tailor and ask them to do it, because the pockets were closed so tightly, I couldn’t 100% tell if it had pockets. It did, but I didn’t trust myself to open them. Everything else though was only loosely basted shut and often cuttong two or three stitches was enough for all the thread to come out.

Isaac Milton

I’ve had this experience with some topcoats my uncle once gave me – he had bought them a good twenty years ago and outgrown them by a wide margin, and they fit me reasonably well, so I was happy to have them. This was before I really knew much of anything about tailoring, so I somewhat unhappily assumed that one of them had “decorative pocket flaps” for a good year, before I eventually realized that I could take a seam ripper to the inside of the pocket. He had never done this in all the time of owning them!

Alex

Yeah, that’s exactly how it happened with mine. It was a lucky thrift store find and cut pretty fashionably, and since I couldn’t find the usual opening in the pockets where the basting thread shows when you pull slightly, I was half convinced the flaps were just decorative. Fortunately, they weren’t, but since it was such a nice suit, I didn’t dare go searching for the basting and left it to the pros xD

Damian

Some people keep them sewn up deliberately, to avoid the temptation of putting too bulky objects in those side pockets with the effect of spoiling the jacket. I did, until I realised how useful it was to put things in that wouldn’t put the jacket out of shape (including my hands) sometimes!

Markus S

I’m not sure if this is a good example. I know several men, myself included, who wear their more formal jackets and suits with their pockets sewn up to better preserve the streamlined shape of the jacket by keeping the pockets from bulging out.

M L Santorsola

Great question!

Erik

A bit of a philosophical question perhaps, but if you don’t use them, why open them up? The only thing I really use my suit pockets for (on the outside) is to tuck in the vents, so some of my jackets still have the pockets sewn shut. Then again, I don’t think I’ve experienced any noticeable sagging when on the ones with the pockets opened.

Gabe

+1

Richard A

How very middle class! Just joking! Seriously though, King Charles stuffs his hands in all his jacket pockets and I think that shows a lack of pretension rather than some sort of childhood trauma complex. Nothing as precious as being so uncomfortable in your clothes that you have to tip-toe around them.

Harry

Many people intentionally leave these sewn up to avoid bagging/ maintain the shape. Its not through not knowing.

Chancellor

My first suits were inexpensive, fused garments bought off the peg for $200 on sale. They had fused pockets which I cut open so that I could use the pockets. The salespeople warned me that the pockets would bulge if I undid the baste stitching in the pockets.

After over 10 years of wear, the sleeves are wearing through at the ends (white showing through), the elbows have thinned and are tearing, and some of the pocket bags have had holes develop through frequent use. But the pockets do not bulge at all.

My experience is that the bulging of pockets is a myth, and the rest of the suit wears out well before the pockets ever bulge.

Harry

The pockets yes, very common practice to leave them sewn up although perhaps a generational thing.

Kevin O'Neill

Having caught a pocket on a door handle as I rushed by – I surprised the alterations place by asking them to stitch up patch pockets on a jacket. It’s maybe just me.

Martin

I tend to leave them sewn up to eliminate the temptation to put anything in them!

D

I point this out to someone at least once a week. It’s an epidemic.

Markus S

Difficult topic.

It’s different from politely telling someone that they have a smudge or snot on their face, because advising them to remove the stitch additinally insinuates that the other person has no idea (in this case about clothes), which can – as your experience shows – be regarded as insulting.

That’s why I would refrain from doing so with strangers, unless it’s a person I know, where I would try to communicate this diplomatically and unoffensively.

Harry

I would suggest its best not to mention either. Just let people be rather than impose your own opinion on them. Undone laces can be dangerous so there would be a justification for telling someone. Anything aesthetic – best not to mention.

Anonymous

I think it the height of arrogance to tell a complete stranger that they are doing something wrong.

Alex

After all, they didn’t dress for me. It may bother me, but at the end of the day, it’s not my problem. Personally, if I made a faux pas like that, I would want someone to tell me, but I know that’s not a sentiment shared by everyone.

Rich

Yes! I also wonder if, for some folk, it’s a dishonest way to return the item after it’s been worn once, maybe for a special occasion, and by keeping the stitching there they think it demonstrates the item is unworn and can get their money back.
I wouldn’t say anything for fear of causing offence but would always appreciate that advice if given – politely, apologetically – to me!

Stephen

Good point on returns. Capture the Insta moment and return!

Lindsay McKee

I can vividly remember almost 40 years ago in Huntsman when it was still under Colin Hammicks ownership and was probably the great Mr. Hall at the counter, I was admiring a distinct ready to wear jacket, impeccably made which he selected for fit, by sight alone, by the way, almost 30 feet away, no measuring tape! It had a vivid scarlet lining and a Donegal type cloth but had very distinct and very prominent stitching in white or possibly brown, across the shoulders, like basting thread; very thick thread and I wondered if this was the actual finished stitching! I did NOT dare to question the great man about that stitching! It put me off even through it fitted like a glove and cost £300! Tailoring was very new to me way back then!

Steve

That would have been basting. Probably mostly an affectation.

Lindsay McKee

Hi Steve,
Many thanks
.That’s what I assumed anyway. I’d certainly expect a tailor, whether bespoke of MTM to remove those stitches which of course they’d do anyway.

Aaron

When I was in secondary school and got a new jacket I accidentally left my vents together. My friends not only told me but immediately cut the thread to open the vents. And, of course, we were all teenagers who didn’t know they were called vents and so were called something rather ruder.

Amon

It was a pleasure meeting you and Lucas yesterday at the fair! Thanks for taking the time and chatting with us. Looking forward to your Pitti roundup!

David

Hilarious – I do hope PS readers aren’t falling fowl of this!
Back in the early ‘70s when YSL was an extremely exclusive and expensive brand a senior colleague of mine made the mistake of buying a beautiful navy blue suit and leaving the label on the sleeve.
When I took him to task on it he reposted “Of course you’re supposed to leave it. Otherwise how will folk know it’s YSL ?”
The same guy pronounced YSL as “Wavey Saint Lawrence” – go figure.
Postscript: : I’m going to get a stitch picker. Those scarf labels drive me nuts.

David

I meant ‘falling foul’ not fowl !

AK

I bought a Maison Margiela suit last year (a thing of beauty, but that’s another conversation). Indeed, it had their iconic basting stitches on the cuffs, in lieu of buttons, and the four-stitches label on the back of the jacket and trousers. All removed as soon as I got home — my suit, my rules — though with great admiration for the delicacy with which they’d been applied.

Zohair

I believe originally these basting stitches, including the ones on the collar, were meant to be removed. martin margiela wanted his clothes to be anonymous, with no labels. over time the stitches became a feature/status symbol.

AK

Not the case, according to label lore and the Margiela documentary…

Diego

This thing drives me crazy but I would never tell anyone. I just suffer in silence.

Dario

I bite my tongue very hard but I don’t tell it to anyone, even my closest friends, unless they ask (I remember a friend asking about the white thread when she bought a new suit, and I explained).
I do, however, when the talk about dressing in tailoring comes up, remark that one of my favourite things about it is the lack of logos. And then I may add “if you do buy a suit that has that on the sleeve, please do remove it”. But I would never tell it to someone wearing the jacket.

Johnny Foreigner

If I went around pointing out failures and defects I’d be sacked. So I don’t it.

Ian

I always feel it’s just best to mind my own business 🙂

Neil

Not sure if this is directly related and seems to have reduced anyway, was the stitched on label at the cuff.
This was to see on a rack which manufacturer it was, but the amount of people who left it on was incredible.
It is different because there was a sense people left it on like it was showing the brand like a motif / logo on a la Ralph Lauren.

Matt

The comment equivalent from Neil there of leaving the basting stitches in blissfully unaware…

Alex

Hi Simon. Please don’t risk your health advising grumpy Londoners! I have a question about a Boglioli jacket. It has some string 3 inches down on either side of the jacket holding the vent. It looks rather crude so I had assumed it was temporary. When I asked them if it was to be removed the answer was noncommittal. What do you reckon?

IMG_3058
NL

With regards to handkerchiefs, I’ve never thought to cut the labels off. If I ever wear one, it’s normally stuffed in the pocket with label going in first.
May be a task for the weekend!

Terry

If you place your pocket square with the points up then the labels can possibly show, which you may not like the look of.

Nigel C

Simon, Major dilemma. I’ll always tell people I know. Usually I ask if it’s a new jacket and just quietly tell them they forgot. The key to my mind is not front of others.
It does remind me of a time I was waiting to get my pay ticket for a car park. The woman in front of me had a load of labels sticking out of the back of her trousers – underwear labels? She had a briefcase and stuff, she was clearly off to a meeting. I said hello and was super apologetic to disturb but my wife would surely kill me if I did not tell her about this, I said I hope she did not mind my telling her. She just laughed and said thank you, and yes underwear labels – she was indeed off to a meeting. Life is better when we interact.
Best wishes N

Stephen

Hi Simon,
Unlucky on the second one! The better brand (and not necessarily the most expensive) shops do tend to ask if they can remove the stitch.My wife notices it a lot on women’s coat vents as well , as it makes the whole back of the coat hang in a strange way. As for the label on the sleeve…. The shop or online retailer should really point this out in both cases. Perhaps online they at least worried about people getting it wrong and cutting the garment.
I personally wouldn’t point it out unless I know the person, there are some very strange people out there, not least those that look for any reason to be offended!

Bob

I think some brands dont help because yes the big white X sticks out like a sore thumb but have seen plenty where the tack has been done in the same colour as the jacket which probably is less obvious/ more confusing for the uninitiated. I do tend to pass comment to colleagues/friends etc but rarely a stranger in the street.

As to the brand label on the sleeve, surely no one thinks its intended to be left there and therefore if they have left it they’ve made an active decision rather than not realising it should be removed.

A former colleague used to reattach the branding were it to fall off and looked absolutely mortified when a mutual colleague turned up with a Tom Ford suit for an event, realised the label was still no the sleeve and proceeded to remove.

That said, telling strangers they’re “flying low” can equally be awkward but something I’d hope someone would tell me.

Thomas

Years ago, the American comedian Minnie Pearl would regularly appear at The Grand Ol’ Opry in Nashville Tennessee wearing an unattractive hat with the price tag still prominently attached. This gag (which continued long past the day when women still regularly wore hats) underscored her character as an uncultured hillbilly. Her audience could laugh at her naïveté and still feel affection despite her cluelessness. Perhaps there is a lesson here, especially in an age where high end menswear brands sell track suits (not suits) for upward of US$ 7,000.

Robin

“They should really remove the stitch before wrapping up the purchase, but they sometimes don’t.” They never do !

It’s surprising shops supposedly offer a ‘service’ when in fact removing stitches is a simple thing they could do .
My bug-bear …..small labels on pocket squares which no matter how you fold and display your square end up on display.

Richard

This article made me realize how far I have come in my style journey and reminds me not to judge others who may just be starting. Around the time PS started, I once declined to buy a beautiful Zegna suit because I though the white stitch was a stylistic detail.
I suppose that one could make a quick study of the person’s physiognomy before deciding to approach them. Somebody who will tell you to f*** off likely has some telltale signs and you can then simply smile smugly in your superior knowledge and let them make a fool of themselves. If nothing else, PS allows us such small pleasures.

Karol

“Smile smugly in your superior knowledge”?

Jose

If I did something incorrect out of ignorance, I would be happy if someone cordially let me know. If I was doing the incorrect thing on purpose, then I would understand it if someone pointed it out to me, and would say something like “thanks but I like it that way.” I don’t understand being offended by someone trying to help.

Monsieur

this theme makes me question whether other matters are worth pointing out to a stranger
A zipper fly undone on the trousers?
A beltloop missed on the jeans?
Correcting a collar?

Markus S

These are different examples imo because it is obviously an oversight on the part of the person who left the zipper open, forgot a beltloop or has a misplaced collar. So this person wouldn’t feel like you were implying that he is somewhat unpolished to not know any better, e.g. by forgetting to remove the stitching.

Although, I would consider pointing out a missing belt loop as nitpicking. It’s such a small thing that most people would probably not care about it. But if somebody told me discretly that I had forgotten zu close my zipper, I would be very thankful.

Maurice

Yes, I had the same journey of discovery with one of the first good suits I bought back in the 1980s at the Barneys Warehouse Sale — I think it was RTW from Huntsman, a grey glen check. Not only was there basting stiching everywhere, including the shoulders, but (like some other people have pointed out in the comments) the jacket pockets were sewn up! After wearing it a few times, the basting stiching started to come out on its own and I finished the job of removing it once I realized the suit was not going to fall apart. But it must have taken me over a year to realize that the pocket flaps were not decorative after all!

Kent

Ebay regularly has Barney’s Huntsman branded suits at silly prices. They are not in the house style and appear to be made by a factory with a Huntsman label sewn in. Colin Hammick, Huntsman legendary head cutter, would not have approved!

Maurice

Kent. I am not sure what point you are trying to make, but the Barneys Warehouse sale provided extremely good value for RTW suits. RTW Huntsman at Barneys was not masquerading as bespoke. I’m pretty sure the suits were made at the Chester Barrie factory in Cheshire. In the 1980s-1990s, Kilgour and other houses offered something similar. Edward Sexton did a RTW line at Saks. RTW Huntsman or Kilgour at the Barneys Warehouse Sale, or RTW Sexton at the Saks end-of-year clearance,constituted very good value for money. I see no rational counter-argument to that point.

Gabe

A small bespoke tailor once asked his client which brand he would like to have on his finished suit. Turned out that the tailor had worked for some well known brands and saved their labels. Maybe something similar?

Maurice

Gabe, I wonder why a bespoke tailor would sew someone else’s label into a suit they made. Every tailor I have used always puts their own label in their suits to build their brand. I was talking about RTW suits graded on the old 1-6 system, see https://www.permanentstyle.com/2015/05/the-1-6-suit-rating-system.html . RTW suits from Huntsman sold at Barneys were made at the Chester Barrie factory in Cheshire and, as quoted in Simon’s interview with Jonathan Clay, “a suit from the Chester Barrie factory was a number 6.” To the extent Kent implies that Huntsman was sewing their labels into RTW factory products regardless of quality, he is wrong. A RTW suit graded as a 5 or 6 from an established brand like Huntsman, Kilgour, Sexton, or Oxxford as available in end-of-season clearance sales at Barneys Warehouse, Saks, or even Filenes Basement represented extremely good value. It was not Saville Row bespoke, but certainly better quality than 24 hour fused bespoke offered by some tailors. I am sure that Colin Hammick of Huntsman would agree.

limekiln

It’s dangerous territory, none of us likes to be shown up as an idiot. I generally wouldn’t. As one responder said, maybe they really don’t give a toss (given how slovenly many people dress these days). But for those too lazy to bother, oddly it’s similar to drivers not bothering to use their indicator (aka turn signal). If so doing causes a dangerous situation and I have the chance, I usually say “Hey, just to let you know that your indicator doesn’t seem to be working”.
Something similar could be tried – “You may not realise it but your jacket seems to still have the basting thread on it”

Thomas

New Year’s Eve at Spago, a posh Beverly Hills restaurant, I noticed that a woman sitting at the table next to mine was wearing a very glittery, sequined dress with the price tag still attatched to the skirt. I debated whether or not to tell her. I was sure she would appreciate knowing, but the logistics were difficult, and I also didn’t want to embarrass her. I found some poignancy in the situation: she seemed quite innocent, a bit out of place and I expected that a posh Beverly Hills restaurant was foreign territory for her.

I also wondered if she had purchased the dress a few days previously to wear only for New Year’s Eve, with the intent of returning it the next day. This might make telling her doubly embarrassing, as she would susoect she had been found out. Women are notorious for doing this in Los Angeles. In any case, I did nothing.

Good question as to how the woman in the photograph would respond to pointing out the stitching–if you could get past security. I have no doubt her sister-in-law would respond graciously with a laugh and a thank you. I think one’s response comes down to how eager you are to learn something new, and seriously you take yourself. A sense of humor always helps.

Thomas

Correction: how seriously you take youself.

Stefan

I find the whole idea of passing comment on their appearance to a total stranger to be very odd.
Were a friend or family member to make a constructive comment I would take it as intended, but some one I didn’t know made the same comment, it would be very unwelcome.
We have no responsibility for policing the dress sense or even dress code of others.

Pickford

Surely as human beings we strive for knowledge and we do this through educating and informing ourselves and each other. I don’t view these things as ‘correcting’ but rather enhancing our understanding.

I do understand people can take issue with such things, but I think a large part of it is perception, take the advice in the spirit in which it was given. Whether one chooses to accept it or not is entirely personal choice.

Greyson S.

Once, as a senior in high school, the day of junior prom, I told an underclassman outside that he might think to cut off the Calvin Klein tag from his suit sleeve before going into the dance hall. He confidently told me it was meant to be there because it was a nice suit (it was a $200 Macy’s department store suit, but nice is of course, relative, and he was 14 or so). Point being, the level of all-knowing attitude given by someone so clearly blissfully naïve on these matters, turned me off to ever saying anything to someone I didn’t know, and who didn’t know that I might know better. I hope his pictures captured it so he can look back and think of that interaction with some humorous soft regret. I took it as a lesson for myself though, not to make that same mistake when being cordially corrected or warned even on matters I presumed myself to have some expertise in.

Greyson S.

I think there is also a trend, maybe similar to the Margiela detail, emerging because of Fear of God’s Zegna manufactured suiting, all of which have little leather name tags tacked on the sleeve or back collar area. I am under the impression these ARE a design detail, and meant to stay on, but because they are pretty common to see out in the wild of fashion instagram, I think it’s badly influenced recent tailoring adopters wearing other brands. I don’t know if I’d be self conscious of it even on a garment it was meant to stay on, but I suspect so, even if I don’t mind the occasional subtle logo detail. I think it just reminds me so much of a faux paus that I’m turned off by it. I wonder though, if I cut it off, if people who loved the brand would cringe themselves, much like seeing people cut the “zip ties” off of Off-White’s products circa 2016.

Makaga

I did a cartoon featuring this situation for my Dandy problems series.

DandyScan_20231224_00010
Tom

About twenty years back in Tottenham I remember seeing a chap wearing a pair of glasses, evidently proud of the brand he’d been able to afford as he’d left the sticker with the logo slap bang on the lens.This also would see to point to the fact that he didn’t need glasses in the first place since he’d never had the lenses changed.

Tommy Mack

Funeral scene in Shameless (UK version) where one of the younger lads is sporting the brand label on the cuff of his suit. Nicely observed little detail!

Hristo

To approach or not to approach. Same issue when the bottom button on a single breasted jacket is fastened.
And then the true nightmare – waistcoat with low rise trousers or jeans and a belt. It looks horrible and yet it is almost never appropriate to approach somebody on this subject.

Tommy Mack

Years ago when I’d just graduated from university and was between jobs, I did a lot of film extra work. On one such shoot, a production assistant told me to fasten the bottom button on my suit jacket. First time I just ignored him but when he later said ‘I thought I told you to fasten that button,’ I rather tartly replied that I’d been told my character was a city banker and that someone like that would know that you’re not meant to fasten the bottom button. (To which he could reasonably have come back “Oh, is he the sort of City gent who wears an ill-fitting black suit and knackered Clarks work-boots then?”)

joshgtv

I have sent my three sons to an otherwise good school, which insists that they fasten the lower button on their blazer. I question the fees every time I notice this.

Jean

I would never dare to tell people about that!
Man and women.
I always feel I would get the 2nd réaction Simon mentioned.
If i wear someone not knowing about the basting threads to be removed, and some random guy telling me about it in the subway, I may feel embarrassed.

Dimitrios

Simon, as a 66 year old who is still learning, I world hope a PS reader would come up to me and point out something like this! Far from being offended – I’d offer to pay for a nice drink or three at one London’s classic bars! Personally, if the comments emanates from a well-dressed individual, then it will resonate. But that’s just me ……D

Brax

You’re not going to believe it but Tom Brady (best American football player turned pundit) is calling a playoff game right now. His suit looks great but he didn’t remove the baste thread from his lapel buttonhole. 🤨

Rob

Whilst I know what you mean, nobody likes a know-it-all. It is a bit like someone correcting you on your pronunciation or grammar. Personally I would tread with care.

joshgtv

Well put. Best left unsaid.

SamS

I wouldn’t tell a complete stranger. The possible upside is quite small (at best they learn a tiny style detail, and I get to feel a touch of benevolent superiority), and the potential downside is considerable: they could feel embarrassed or slighted, and I could end up taking the heat for that (which would slight me, in turn). They’re clearly getting through life even without knowing this little style detail. People do far worse things, that actually inconvenience me and others – I will pick my battles!

I would tell a colleague or someone I was familiar with. They mostly know that I’m deep in #menswear and that I wouldn’t point it out without reason.

joshgtv

Well put.

Peter

Last night calling the Lions-Commanders NFL divisional round playoff game, Tom Brady wore his perfectly fitting three piece Tom Ford suit with visible white basting stitches left in the lapel buttonhole. Maybe 5 of the 50 million people watching noticed, but he still looked kind of ridiculous. Simon, you should have been there to tell him before going on air!

Rustem

As I was surprised to learn, big sleeve’s label on Gucci suits not intended to be removed

Christopher

Says who? 🫣🫣 I have yet to see a Gucci advert where the labels are not removed

Jon

What amazes is is how anyone would think a big white cross of thread at the bottom of the vent is meant to be? Why have the vent? Why not have the thread in the same colour as the coat? Does anyone seriously think that aesthetically it looks good? How do these people get through life?
I would certainly tell a friend and for a stranger maybe something along the lines of ‘oh you must have just bought it as you still have the thread in?’

SamS

I’m guessing that people just don’t know, and they feel worried that they may “ruin it” by removing the thread. Probably not helped by the fact that some sales associates don’t know either.

You seem to have a good way to tell them; make it into a way to acknowledge their (hopefully new) garment, and hopefully they’ll catch on. No risk of them feeling insulted, and if they decide to keep the thread anyway then at least you did what you could.

Christopher

I would argue that keeping pockets closed is different: I know that if I open them it‘s only a question of time before I start putting phones and keychains and everything in between into that pocket which will make it lose its shape. So to avoid this temptation, I keep the pockets stitched close

Dawson

The first time I acquired a good coat I thought the basted-shut front pockets were a subtle hint from the maker to say “please don’t ruin the line of your coat by putting stuff in these pockets!” I eventually unpicked them though – after several years of use.

Erik

I did not think that this article was necessary in our day and age… I wouldn’t even think that any store would allow a customer to walk out of the store without removing the labels (is this even a thing still though) or the basting (though the latter may have to to more with returns I suppose?).
A thread picker is the best, though I’ve personally just used a knife to cut the stitches. A bit more dangerous perhaps.
Another thing, that unfortunately is rarely mentioned, is to always immediately remove all labels from knits – particularly cashmere – due to the threads inevitably causing holes after a while.

Ben w

I’m not sure I agree that staff should remove them: it may render the garment unreturnable.

Mike

Leaving the “X” at the vent is apparently a “thing” now. I saw a guy on IG who was offering to sew the X back onto coats that had it taken out and there was a line of people waiting for it.