FROM OUR AUGUST 2024 ISSUE: DON’T WRITE OFF TIES!

The entire MR team proudly presents our August 2024 issue. If you haven’t received a hard copy, please page through a digital version at  Issuu, and we’ll continue to post individual stories here on  MR-mag.com. If you haven’t been getting MR in print, be sure that you are on our mailing list for future issues by completing  this form.

“No industry kills itself like we do,” laments NYC retailer Eliot Rabin of Peter Elliot in response to widespread media reports of the necktie’s demise. “No, neckwear is not dead,” he insists. “I’m selling lots of ties! Don’t believe everything you read, even in The New York Times! We’re selling sport coats like crazy (Coppley in particular) and we show them with and without a tie. Customers are thrilled to have that option. Ralph would never have become Ralph Lauren were it not for neckties (and his were more than twice the price of what was out there in 1970: $27 vs. $12!)

“I believe it’s time for men to dress like men. Our customers tell us their wives/girlfriends/partners are sick of seeing them in sweatpants. The return of the gentleman is right here in front of us: we just have to grab the opportunity!”

Designer Ruth Graves has been doing well with “special” pieces, including digitally printed pocket squares for her specialty store accounts. “Retailers I work with are looking for designs that no one else has; they give me a digital image and my mills can translate it on silk. Since I don’t have middlemen or sales reps, retailers can get high margins. They recognize quality from the small family-owned mills I work with, plus the minimums are surprisingly low.”

Designer Edward Armah had a “slam dunk neckwear season” by simplifying his tie assortment. “Our textured printed florals feature innovative designs and ground effects that complement today’s clothing and lifestyle. They’ve been a big hit.”

At Mitchells stores, Dan Farrington reports neckwear running ahead of last year in the low single digits. “With broader assortments, it could be even stronger,” he believes. “Most of the demand is for dressy occasion ties, but lately, we’ve seen demand pick up for patterns. Our more expensive luxury brand ties perform best; most of what’s working is simple and elegant. I don’t see a return to ties as a business uniform, so we’ll have to do a better job selling subtle, sophisticated looks. If looser clothing gains some traction, it could lead to more opportunity for wider ties.”