'Measuring millimetres' on a gold Napoleonic dress coat

Liz Tapper, of Lenham Needlecraft, is meticulously studying records from the court of Napoleon Bonaparte to incorporate specific stitches, threads, motifs and elements into the final design of a rare military coat.

Liz said it was “quite a big project and unusual, in that it's a lot of goldwork”.

The military details and references from 1769-1821 will be stitched using specialist goldwork threads and techniques.

The luxurious and opulent effect created with gold thread was historically only used for religious, royal and military embroidery because of the cost of materials and labour.

Now, only high-end fashion houses and royalty employ these techniques for larger garments, so this private request from Italy is very unusual.

Video Journalist: Deborah Collins

This video has been optimised for mobile viewing on the BBC News app. The BBC News app is available from the Apple App Store for iPhone and Google Play Store for Android.