32. Ties

As Oscar Wilde once said, “A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life.”  Nowhere is this maxim understood more than at the workshop of Drakes of London, nestled in the back lanes of Clerkenwell.  Drakes was founded in 1977 by Michael Drake, whose original collection comprised of men’s scarves. He quickly branched out into printed silk handkerchiefs and handmade ties and today Drakes is the largest independent producer of handmade ties in England. The original vision of the company was to retain design and manufacture of products in England but be truly international in terms of sales, with collections designed for a range of luxury shops from the most conservative to the most fashionable worldwide. Mr Drake makes ties but also dispenses his own distinct philosophy on gentlemen’s style. On ties Mr Drake says, “The tie is important not only because it's so much the focus of attention, but because it's more symbolic than utilitarian. The best ties are handmade, never stitched by machine.” He also believes that blue is the most useful shade of tie colour for gentlemen and therefore seventy percent of the ties at Drakes are different shades of the colour.