The Story of a Signature Print: Birds and Butterflies

March 31, 2026

Introducing the newest style in our signature print: The Birds and Butterflies Printed Wool Suit

Several years ago, Nigel visited artisans and factories in Como, Italy,  a place long associated with the heritage of European silk craftsmanship. In a small family-owned artisan studio, he came across a fabric printed with birds, butterflies, and florals set against a patchwork background in hues of rich burgundy and soft pink. Something about it stopped him. Not as it was, but as it could be.

He took the pattern, reduced the scale of the repeat, and recolored it entirely, transforming it into the luminous aqua blue that Nigel’s clients now instantly recognize. With that, the Birds and Butterflies print as it is today was born and would go on to become a signature and best-selling print for Nigel Curtiss.

The Birds and Butterflies print first appeared as silk pajamas for women and men and instantly became the #1 selling print in silk pajamas. Although it started as a pajama set, women were wearing it as an outerwear look. The styles that followed were a silk shirt, a bomber jacket and a dress. Like the silk pajamas, the silk outerwear pieces were consistently selling out, becoming a client favorite and a distinctive, iconic print for our brand. 

Returning to the original palette, we re-imagined the light blue background in a rich garnet, creating a new iteration of the Birds and Butterflies print in a new collection of silk pajamas, shirt, pants and bomber jacket.  This vivid version of our Birds and Butterflies print brings a moody, romantic edge to the classic print and silhouette, perfect for dressing up or winding down.

The next idea for this print was a bolder, more challenging iteration: The Birds and Butterflies Printed Wool Suit. Printed wool suits are rare for a reason. Wool is traditionally woven where the pattern comes from the loom, from the structure of the fabric itself. Printing on wool requires a different level of technical precision, and most manufacturers won't attempt it. The risk of the print overwhelming the tailoring, or the tailoring losing its integrity to the print, is real.

Nigel attempted it anyway. This is where innovation meets craftsmanship.

The Birds and Butterflies Wool Suit is the result: a slim, structured jacket with a peak lapel and a matching slim-flare trouser, crafted from 100% lightweight printed wool and handmade in Italy. Fully lined in satin, it carries the discipline of traditional tailoring while introducing a new visual dimension. The print does not overpower the suit. It completes it.

As the newest addition to our Soirée Collection, the Birds and Butterflies Suit is made to order in Italy specifically for you. This approach is not only a commitment to quality, but to a slower, more meaningful form of luxury. One that values craftsmanship, reduces excess, and ensures that what is made is truly meant to be worn.

The Birds and Butterflies Wool Suit is available in sizes 0 through 12, with jacket and trousers sold separately. Delivery within 4 to 6 weeks.

Shop the Birds & Butterflies Collection