Royal Tie

This tie is from the venerable Turnbull and Asser of Jermyn Street (London), shirtmakers to HRH The Prince of Wales (that's Prince Charles) since 1980. Turnbull and Asser is the name in fine British shirts (off-the-rack and bespoke--ooh, one of these days...), and their other menswear isn't too shabby either. (Though Charles has recently taken some flak for buying suits from them, leaving his longtime Savile Row suitmakers Anderson & Sheppard.) Family-owned since its founding in 1885, Turnbull and Asser was bought by House of Fraser in 1986, months after that company was bought by the Al-Fayed family. House of Fraser went public in 1994, and appears to be on the verge of a buyout right now. Turnbull and Asser has two stores in the United States, in New York and Beverly Hills.

I've said before that all you need is circles to make a great tie design, and here is another case in point, one of Turnbull and Asser's most famous patterns. They also have a marvelous snakes pattern, but I haven't managed to get one of those yet. And forget what I said yesterday about Carnaby Street bellywarmers; I've just learned it was Turnbull and Asser who came out with the "kipper tie," the first bellywarmer. I stand corrected (said the man in the orthopedic shoes).