In the world of neckties in the style generally known as "deco," Martin Wong is one of the top names, along with Modules, Format, Ziggurat, Zylos, J.T. Beckett, J. Blades & Co., and Ralph Lauren's Polo Hollywood Collection. (I have ascertained that the Martin Wong of Martin Wong Neckwear of Napa, California, is not the same Martin Wong as the artist who died in 1999, or the co-editor of Giant Robot.) Martin Wong's most swing-era-influenced line is the Screenplay collection, which was designed by Robert Taliver. Taliver was with the company for 14 years, and also designed the woven-patterned Insignia collection. (He left Martin Wong to start his own line of ties and a modeling agency, Thee Raspberry Company of St. Louis, Missouri; the company's domain registration has lapsed.) This tie is from neither collection, it's just a plain old "Martin Wong." It appeals to my taste for overlapping shapes, with its group of vertical sigmoids (f-holes?) crisscrossed by wavy horizontal lines. Like many deco ties, the borders are delineated with gold hairlines. Martin Wong Neckwear is "affiliated with" Ambiance Neckwear, Inc., but I can't determine the actual nature of the affiliation.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Martin Wong
In the world of neckties in the style generally known as "deco," Martin Wong is one of the top names, along with Modules, Format, Ziggurat, Zylos, J.T. Beckett, J. Blades & Co., and Ralph Lauren's Polo Hollywood Collection. (I have ascertained that the Martin Wong of Martin Wong Neckwear of Napa, California, is not the same Martin Wong as the artist who died in 1999, or the co-editor of Giant Robot.) Martin Wong's most swing-era-influenced line is the Screenplay collection, which was designed by Robert Taliver. Taliver was with the company for 14 years, and also designed the woven-patterned Insignia collection. (He left Martin Wong to start his own line of ties and a modeling agency, Thee Raspberry Company of St. Louis, Missouri; the company's domain registration has lapsed.) This tie is from neither collection, it's just a plain old "Martin Wong." It appeals to my taste for overlapping shapes, with its group of vertical sigmoids (f-holes?) crisscrossed by wavy horizontal lines. Like many deco ties, the borders are delineated with gold hairlines. Martin Wong Neckwear is "affiliated with" Ambiance Neckwear, Inc., but I can't determine the actual nature of the affiliation.
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5 comments:
Thank you for the information regarding, Martin Wong Ties.
I was recently informed by a large necktie distributor that Martin Wong has officailly retired and is no longer making neckties.
Oh well, he had a good run.
Should have retired long ago as his designer was Robert Taliver, when he left there was nowhere for poor Marty to go but down.....at least he is in Napa and about the name Ambiance Neckwear it was changed to Martin Wong Neckwear when BBDO in SanFrancisco did an evaluation when I was the CFO there and recommended we change the name to increase brand identity for the then hot neck wear line designed by Robert.
Good luck to Marty I am sure he can bounce back somewhere.
Thank you for the information, M.C.!
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