Tundra

Tundra was Canada's version of Australia's Coogi, purveying wild "Cosby sweaters" and equally colorful neckties. Whereas my previous examples of those brands were actually knitted or woven with a complexity similar to that of the sweaters, the "knitted" texture in this Tundra tie is just printed onto silk, a textural trompe l'oeil as it were.

Carlos Falchi

Brazilian-born, US-based designer and leathersmith Carlos Falchi is known primarily for his handbags. In the 60s he was a manager at the seminal New York rock club Max's Kansas City; in the 70s he designed stage outfits for Mick Jagger, Miles Davis, Tina Turner, and Elvis. I can only find references to handbags and other women's accessories, but at some point Falchi had a men's necktie line, as evidenced by this Carlos Falchi tie right here. It's certainly an unconventional print, and the jacquard weave has a pattern that references the grain of animal skins so prominent in Falchi's handbags.

Ectomorphic paisleys

Have you ever seen paisleys so slender and sinuous? Marja Kurki of Finland has fashioned this richly-colored silk print into a similarly slender tie.

New Modules

Some ties languish in my closet for years before being worn; some may never be worn; others arrive in the mail and get worn two days later, as is the case with this Modules of Japan tie, the latest addition to my Modules hoard. Interesting prints, funky jacquard weaves, tiny knots... I just love 'em.

George Machado

George Machado's Zylos line is one of the top Art Deco tie brands; this tie, however, is from his Machado line, which may simply be Zylos fabrics in an extra-long size. (Don't be afraid to wear an extra-long tie even if you don't need one: you can use up plenty of length in the knot.)

It came from the past (and Belgium)

Scoff if you must, but this monster was a premium necktie in its day. Offered by Roland (London, Paris, Madrid), the shell is made of an unusual blend of polyester and wool (70/30), but the crowning touch of quality is the fact that it was hand made in Belgium. (To see how a necktie is made by hand, go to The Necktie Series, Part II: The Manufacturing Process on Put This On.) That makes this the perfect tie to wear while enjoying fine Belgian ales, chocolate, and waffles.

Not that Paul Smith

This tie is from Paul R. Smith, not to be confused with British designer Paul Smith. Paul R. Smith may be based in Germany, as the label also says "reine seide", or "pure silk" auf Deutsch. And that's all I can tell you.

The Countess' Labyrinth

Too bad Countess Mara insisted on putting her logo on this tie, which has an otherwise elegant, vaguely industrial minimalist pattern woven in gold thread on a field of navy. I think I have some more surprisingly good CM ties stashed away somewhere, which will appear here if and when I locate them.

Ikat

From Solo (Surakarta), Java, the batik capital of the world, comes this tie from Danar Hadi of ikat fabric. Ikat differs from regular batik in that the resist-dyeing is performed on the threads which are then woven into a patterned fabric, as opposed to resist-dyeing already-woven fabric. Danar Hadi may be the most popular batik maker in the world, based strictly on availability of batik shirts in secondhand shops and on eBay. I have some good ones to wear on the days I don't wear ties.

Biggie

I've hit a bottleneck again, as I can't find this tie in my closet to take down its particulars. If memory serves, it's made of Dralon polyester, and a prodigious amount of it. Such a generous serving of a petroleum-based textile could only have originated pre-Energy Crisis '74. And that brown....!

Update: I found the tie! It is "Distinctively Styled by Lancashire" of Imported Trevira. (Not Dralon... memory did not serve.)

Klimtish

This Gustav-Klimt-by-way-of-Heinz-Edelmann-looking print is brought to you by Pierre Cardin.

Picnic

Doesn't this tie make you want to have a picnic? The cotton fabric is more suited to a picnic blanket or perhaps an apron, but some whimsical soul thought of making a tie out of it. The John Weitz label indicates that it is probably meant for country club or resort wear. Yes, it's gaudy, but it sure does make people smile.

I Touch Roses

This particular entry in Martin Wong's Screenplay line (designed by Robert Taliver) looks farther back than the Art Deco inspiration of the rest of range, showing strong echoes of the Art Nouveau roses of Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Back under the microscope

Abstract shapes, or lethal bloodborne pathogens? If it's the latter, I trust the white blood cells in the background to keep me safe. This polyester tie by Canda has about the silkiest luster of any synthetic I've handled.

More wool

Not all wool neckties are heathered solid-color weaves: this plaid tie comes from Basil Elliot in Scotland. (The thickness of wool really puts a bulge all the way around one's collar!)

Et in Arcadia Ego

Today's tie looks like it could be Gene Meyer's take on the diagonal brocaded ties of the 70s, though it's from Italian maker Milano. The row right in the middle that resembles an Islamic arcade takes the design one step beyond pure abstraction. This is another pre-blog favorite that I am happy to wear again at long last.

Ungaro

Here is an old favorite from the pre-blog days, which I have deigned to wear a second time so I can share it with you, Dear Reader. (Though this Ungaro tie actually got a mention in one of my early posts.) I think it looks quite festive with the pattern's resemblance to balloons or flowers.

Don't try to work political unrest into promotional tweets

Kenneth Cole Reaction ("to Gene Meyer", as I have joked before, and will continue to do).

Birds, candles, saints

Astute observers who know of my love for "overlaid stencil" patterns will need just a brief glimpse of this Enrico Capucci tie to guess (correctly) that it's one of my favorites. There are overlapping shapes in cream, brown, and gold, with balancing black space between them in a mod lattice pattern. The shapes themselves are not quite figural, but suggest birds, candles, or haloed saints. Underneath all that is a floral pattern woven into the silk jacquard. I-love-it-I-love-it-I-love-it! I'll not part with this one.

Botanical fantasy

Here is a nice stylized botanical pattern on a "Swing" brand tie, made in the U.S.A. of Italian silk. If the colors would be bolder this would be a standout tie (I have already punched them up a little in GIMP), but their relative dullness makes this a "B" tie at best.