My friend Réginald-Jérôme de Mans once lamented that there are few things anymore unique to a place. “[A]lmost everything is available on Google for comparison shopping, flipped on eBay by some enterprising parallel importer or made especially for discount sale through Gilt,” he wrote. “Unfortunately, redevelopment in the historic shopping areas of the world usually means homogenization to a standard of boring, set to the thudding Abercrombie & Fitch drumbeat that echoes down Savile Row.”
Indeed, one of the most recent houses to fall was Arnys, a Parisian boutique that was as famous for its designs as it was for its quality. In a world where the only ties that seem to be made anymore are striped reps and Macclesfield foulards, Arnys was one of the few places where you could get something original. Granted, I like striped ties and conservative foulards, but they can get a bit monotonous (plus, do we really need fifty makers for such things?). Arnys’ ties, on the other hand, were elegant, bohemian, and even a bit counterculture. Rive gauche style, in a way.
There are two silver linings, however. First, Morigi Milano has some old Arnys ties and they’re available for purchase online. The designs are a lot more wearable than the stuff you see recycled on eBay, and a number look like they’d go excellently with a cotton or linen suit.
Second, as my friend Réginald-Jérôme informs me, Arnys’ tie designer Dominique Lelys is now doing his own thing under his label Le Lys. Sadly, while the ties are more unique than what you’d find elsewhere, they don’t have the same whimsical patterns of Arnys. The front blades are basic – simple stripes, dots, or solid colors – while the back blades are made with a contrasting piece of silk. The ties are unlined and made with a five-fold construction, and you can find them for $175 a piece at Cuffs.
Hopefully Dominique Lelys will continue making those beautiful patterns he’s known for. Until then, the stuff at Morigi is the last of its kind.
