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I despair that people no longer wear ties for formal functions, certain events demand that standards be kept high and it is your duty as an elegant gentleman to ensure that when you attend such gatherings that the correct criteria is met.
However, when it comes to buying the right tie we are entering a potential minefield, you don’t want something loud and garish, if you do that, you may as well put a pointed arrow above your head. Therefore, I would suggest that you purchase something simple and understated a tie that has been beautifully crafted but does not draw unwanted attention. Prices on ties can vary dramatically and as normal all the big fashion houses such Gucci, Armani Dolce & Gabbana are in on the act, all very nice nevertheless believe me that with a bit of research there are much better places to buy a tie albeit at a price.
I tend to use various style blogs for advice, some are very good others not so, (some tend to have a bit of a snobbish element therefore they must discarded immediately) hence I have chosen to take the advice of Hugo Jacomet(aka The Parisian Gentleman) and have invested in a tie made by the noted Neapolitan necktie company E. Marinella.
Founded in 1914 by Eugenio Marinella this tiny shop has become a legendary Neapolitan institution and has provided ties for luminaries ranging from President Clinton all the way down to The Frozen Northerner. Although they now have shops in Rome, Milan, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo, the jewel in the crown is their shop at 287 Riviera Di Chiara, Naples.
In their workshop above their Naples shop they produce around about 150 ties a day, each one handmade in painstaking fashion by a true artisan, sadly this type of craftsmanship is rapidly becoming extinct as companies veer towards mass production. But for me that’s what makes E. Marinella special, they are a company fighting to keep their traditional way of doing things alive, therefore they must supported at every opportunity. The company is now run by a third generation Marinella, Maurizio who has sustained and expanded the work of his father and grandfather and now with the introduction of a fourth generation Marinella, Alessandro the future of the business looks good.
Sadly, The Frozen Northerner had to settle for purchasing his rather beautiful E. Marinella tie from their Milan atelier rather than from their flagship store in Naples. No matter the product is simply wonderful, therefore its hats off to Monsieur Jackomet, whose knowledge of Italian menswear would appear to be impeccable. You may not look as rakish as Gianni Agnelli but then again who does? Wear your E. Marinella, tie with pride, because you are not going to see to many of these in the northeast of England.
thefrozennortherner 