One of my favorite things about Drake’s is their ability to design things that feel contemporary on the one hand, but also classic on the other. It’s easy, after all, to produce ties that are classic and boring. Also easy to make ones that are trendy and awful. Steering a line between those two worlds, however, that takes skill, which is why Drake’s is so impressive. For a company that ventures beyond your typical Macclesfield silk prints and basic rep stripes, their batting average is very high.
Some of that is due to how closely Michael Hill and his team work with mills. “I’m hesitant to take all the credit,” he tells me. “We’ve been working with the same mills since the 1970s, which means every collection is a collaboration. I often sit down with them and pour over their archives to figure out what to design today.” Those new designs will draw from a color here, maybe a weave there, but then be updated in ways to make them feel current. “There are few better ways to design than by looking at what’s been successful for us and the mill in the past,” Michael says.
That’s important for men who like to wear more casual suits or sport coats. A conservative striped tie will go with anything, but if you’re looking for something more interesting to go with a tailored jacket, Drake’s always has plenty of tasteful options. Some of my favorites from this season:
Silk Prints: No Man Walks Alone has some nice silk prints this season, including Mogadors, which are made with a silk warp and cotton weft. That mixture allows the tie to have a vibrant color (thanks to the silk), but a slightly duller finish (thanks to the cotton), giving them less sheen than certain pure silks. I find they pair well with linen sport coats and mohair suits on a hot day, when you don’t want your tie to be as shiny. I particularly like these diamond prints, although this mini-paisley also looks handsome.
Solid, but Textured: I recently wrote a post at Put This On about how much I like solid navy ties. They go with everything – adding sophistication to dark suits; anchoring patterned sport coats. Even better when they’re textured, as they’ll lend some visual interest. Grenadines are a nice, year-round staple, but The Armoury has some good seasonal options this spring. Included are a few raw silk and grenadine mixtures, where a slubby silk yarn has been combined with a honeycomb weave. My eye, however, is set on that solid-navy seersucker. Look to Graeme from Most Exerent for inspiration.
Raw Silks: This term is sometimes wrongly used to describe Tussah or Matka, which are similar in texture, but not actually the same thing. True raw silk ties are made from silks with sericin still left on their fibers. They’re typically heavier, stiffer, and darker in color than processed silks (with the base being beige as opposed to white). The rougher texture gives them a more causal air, which make them perfect for linen or cotton suits. Exquisite Trimmings has a nice selection of them ranging anywhere from your basic stripes to more unique flecked designs.
Also notable: lots of pocket squares made from habotai silk – an exceptionally lightweight, slightly sheer silk that has a bit a sheen. These would be the perfect complement to the dull-finished ties mentioned in this post. For something more matte, I like this blue and cream, cotton blend design.
Hand Block Printed Squares: Speaking of pocket squares, Trunk Clothiers has some this season with hand block prints, which is an old technique that’s all but disappeared in the UK. Old silks actually used to be printed like this until things moved to silk-screening (and now, sometimes even just digital printing). The white one is also available at East Dane for readers in the US.
