Get geared up for spring and pick up a madras item. We go over in this article how to wear madras to keep you looking smart, cool, and staying fresh. Bust out the croquet mallets and the cricket bats it’s madras time.

THE STORY: Fiji has long been an inspiration to me for it’s crystal clear water and blessed surf sessions. The soft hues are reminiscent of Namotu island and it’s surroundings. Light cotton madras stitched to perfection by our American Craftsmen makes every tie a true original each tie will vary slightly as result. Reversible to a classic denim provides two timeless looks in one.

DETAIL HIGHLIGHT: View the tie in tin picture and you can see that our madras is stitched in patches not just a single print faking it like others.

ONE SIZE: Adjustable Sizing

FABRIC FRONT: 100% True Patchwork Cotton Madras
FABRIC BACK: 100% Cotton Denim

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Our smooth beautifully textured linen pocket square dyed to a ghostly white color makes the perfect canvas for our leather square and brass skull. We used a slightly thicker edge fold to increase strength when folded into pocket square shapes. The search for the perfect white pocket square is now over.  – Hugh

ONE SIZE: 10″ x 10″

FABRIC: 100% Linen

SKULL RIVET: 100% Metal

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Made of black denim, the BONESMEN skinny tie does not reflect light; it absorbs it. The heavy denim texture creates unexpected fortitude. Concealed on the back, an antique brass skull represents the brand’s underground image and a reminder that some things need to remain a secret. – Hugh

ONE SIZE: One Size Fits All, 2.5” Wide

FABRIC: 100% Cotton, Denim

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Named after the famous Palm Beach Florida Surfing spot this necktie has the pompous flash of the town and the tough texture reminiscent of the break itself. Know the ritzy neighbors or a member of the nearby Sail Fish club to score a parking spot and don’t paddle out thinking this spot is anything else but territorial. Another true paradox. – Hugh

DETAIL HIGHLIGHT: View the tie in tin picture and you can see that our madras is stitched in patches not just a single print faking it like others.

ONE SIZE: One Size Fits All, 2.5″ Standard Skinny

FABRIC: 100% True Patchwork Cotton Madras

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: The instant sound of this name takes you to a soft sandy beach with fresh fruit and a proper blender. The soft cotton patchwork madras has the light airy feel of clothes slung over a beach lounge chair after a morning walk to check the surf. Don’t forget the rum! – Hugh

DETAIL HIGHLIGHT: View the tie in tin picture and you can see that our madras is stitched in patches not just a single print faking it like others.

ONE SIZE: One Size Fits All, 2.5″ Standard Skinny

FABRIC: 100% True Patchwork Cotton Madras

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Just when you thought hanging ten was the coolest thing you ever saw comes this move “hang heels” and this bow tie appears. Light cotton madras stitched to perfection by our American Craftsmen makes every tie a true original each tie will vary slightly as result. Reversible to a classic denim provides two timeless looks in one.

DETAIL HIGHLIGHT: View the tie in tin picture and you can see that our madras is stitched in patches not just a single print faking it like others.

ONE SIZE: Adjustable Sizing

FABRIC: 100% True Patchwork Cotton Madras

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Inspired by 90′s canvas surfing poncho’s and cold beers at the beach, the Trestles tie is named after the territorial local driven surf beach in California that embodies the loyal spirit of our brand. Perfect for a beach party and the hidden bottle opener is always an easy way to get beers brought to you. – Hugh

ONE SIZE: One Size Fits All, 2.5″ Wide

FABRIC: 100% Cotton

BOTTLE OPENER: Metal

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal tins.

FREE SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. WORLD WIDE SHIPPING RATES: Please send your delivery address to service@hughsimms.com and we will respond quickly with the delivery schedule and rates.

THE STORY: Named after the popular California Surfing Spot that reminds me of the Eastern Shore with it’s sandy bottom and scattered crab pots. The soft pink and duprioni silk provides a sexy soft texture while the heritage lion supplies the balls. – Hugh

ONE SIZE: Adjustable Sizing

FABRIC: 100% Dupioni Silk (known for it’s slight pulls and perfect imperfections)

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Named and modeled after the barrel of the classic western six shooter used by a William H. Bonny a.k.a. Billy the Kid.  Our multiple brushed stroke process creates this beautiful nickel plated gunmetal finish. The  look is clean and mean while remaining a must have classic. Metal hand stamped HS on back of tie clip.  – Hugh

ONE SIZE: 2″ Length

MATERIAL: Brass w/ Metal Nickel Plated Finish

PRODUCTION: Handmade in USA as always.

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie clip  is handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Crisp, clean and dripping with sunny day sex appeal. Whether you’re in city or on a sandy beach this bow tie will fit in and then stand out in both. Pairs nicely with a cold beer.

ONE SIZE: Adjustable Sizing

FABRIC: 100% Cotton

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins, also great for holding any man stuff.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

THE STORY: Located in Orange County Callifornia bracketed by two piers this spot can throw up some heavy surf. Much like the classic cotton surf pattern and navy and bright white colors this tie and this break will never go out of style. Hidden bottle opener celebrates good times and waves to come. – Hugh

ONE SIZE: One Size Fits All, 2.5″ Standard Skinny

FABRIC: 100% Cotton

BOTTLE OPENER: 100% Metal

PACKAGE: Each Hugh Simms tie is meticulously rolled up and handsomely packaged in our custom metal replica 1920′s tobacco tins.

FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING: Free shipping anywhere in the U.S.A. on all orders.                                           FREE WORLD WIDE SHIPPING: On all orders over $200.

INFO: Designer Hugh Simms will be on hand to support fellow friend and local Los Angeles Designer Tony Esparza this thursday. In a time where handmade designer denim has been watered down and brands like True Religion have become a victim of their own success comes this breath of fresh air. Bring some duckets and try on a pair you won’t regret it.

BLACK ON BLACK ON BLACKCAN’T BE CONSIDERED A TREND BECAUSE TRENDSHAVE AN END DATE. THISIS TIMELESS UNDERSTATEDCOOL. A COOL CLASSIC WITHHINTS OF DARKNESS ANDDANGER. ONE OF OUR TOPH.S. LOOKS FOR FORMAL ANDNIGHTS OUT.
PRESSED IS VIATLE NOMESSY WRINKLED HAMPERLOOK HERE. HINTS OF SHINE BLENDED WITHMUTED FLAT BLACKS PROVIDES A GREAT SUBTLE CONTRAST.
IF BIG NIGHT BUY A CRISPRRAND NEW SHIRT.
SOLID BLACK AVOIDPIN STRIPES.
AVOID ACCESSORIESRINGS AND TIE CLIPS.BELT GO WITH BLACKLEATHER AND SILVERBUCKLE OKAY HERE.
BLACK WINGTIPS OR BOOTSAND SOCKS.
GIVE A BLACK EYE DON’T TAKE ONE.

APPAREL NEWS:

Tie Story: A Tale of a Neckwear Renaissance

By Christian Chensvold
It’s common in the early stages of a hotly contested presidential election to say that all bets are off. But in 2012, it’s more a case that all ties are off.

From the day Mitt Romney announced running mate Paul Ryan, both parties seemed to be striving to outdo the other party in who could shed their neckties the most flagrantly. When the very leaders of the nation see the necktie as a campaign liability, what sort of message does that send to average desk jockey? And remember what President Kennedy did to the hat?

Despite signs from all quarters that the necktie continues its moribund slide into irrelevance, start-up necktie brands are popping up all over the Internet and at men’s wear trade shows. And some of them, started on a lark, turn out to be the building block of budding fashion empires.

The accidental tie-makers
For Katherine McMillan, founder of Pierrepont Hicks, making ties started as a hobby in 2008, and now she’s preparing her first capsule men’s wear collection — suits, sportcoats, shirts and trousers — for spring 2013. “I was pregnant and had a lot of creative juices flowing and found an amazing resource for fabrics here in Minneapolis.”

McMillan had samples made for her husband, using a small factory in New York for the manufacturing, but they came out so well she put them for sale online. Word got out that they were great, so she made 4,000 more. “It became kind of addictive for me,” she says about the brand’s launch. “I felt we had a different voice from the tie brands that were out there, even within our niche.”

Soon a New York Times style blog post sent website traffic, orders and wholesale inquiries through the roof. A leading tie factory, which McMillan declines to disclose, also approached her seeking the brand’s business, and won it. “We’re at a crossroads now where we’re really growing rapidly,” she says. Sales are about 40 percent wholesale and 60 percent direct.

Pierrepont Hicks, named for an intersection in Brooklyn where McMillan grew up, prices its ties at $62-$140. They’re sized at 3 inches at their widest point (the industry standard for some time has been 3.5 inches). “It’s a perfect width — we get criticism that it’s too skinny and some say it’s too wide, so that shows you it’s really right in the middle.”

The tie dresses down
If the necktie isn’t exactly dying but going through a casualization process, the fabric has a lot to do with it. Whereas silk is the default fabric and the correct choice in the minds of virtually all men in traditional professions, for brands like Pierrepont Hicks the preferred fabrics are wool, cotton and linen, which send a message that’s anything but corporate. “Though in certain industries people are dressing less formally for work, I don’t think the tie is dying out. Men in Manhattan will wear a tie for dinner even if they didn’t wear one to work.”

Alexander Olch is another accidental tiemaker, having studied filmmaking at Harvard. It was while filming his senior project, about old-school tailors on New York’s Lower East Side, that he decided to give the crew commemorative ties when the project wrapped, rather than the ball caps or t-shirts that are common in the film industry. He sold his first samples in 2002 to former classmates working in industries such as law and finance, and then set about building a luxury brand with extremely limited resources. In 2003 he launched a website he designed himself with e-commerce functionality, and he was in business. “When I first started, no one was thinking about starting a new tie brand,” he says. “I was interested in a traditional notion of luxury — Hermes, Ferragamo — and trying to do something a little different in that category.”

Bow-ties on the rise
While some start-up tie brands came about by happenstance, Hugh Simms sees ties as a great way to start what could ultimately become a fashion empire. The Los Angeles-based FIDM graduate believed that his tie designs were the best work in his portfolio, so he launched his brand in 2009. “It felt like I had something to give,” he says, “and that ties were a chance to give people a sense of what the full line will be like.”

Simms’ collection includes bow ties made from recycled military bags, and four-in-hands in black denim. “I want to create ties you can wear casually,” he says. Simms sells atFred Segal and Kitson, as well as at his website, hughsimms.com. He’s developed a solid celebrity following, all but obligatory when one is based in L.A., though most of his customers are on the East Coast, he says.

The ties, which sell from about $50 to $150, are made in Los Angeles using what Simms calls a 1940s-based manufacturing process involving 17 steps, single-needle Singer sewing machines, and a lot of handwork. He says that 10 years ago he would not have been able to assemble his team, but that the decline of apparel manufacturing in Los Angeles left many skilled workers on the job market.

A more longstanding but no less independent player in the necktie market is R. Hanauer, which has operated for 20 years in Fort Mill, S.C., making bow ties, pocket squares, cummerbund sets, ascots and ribbon belts. The company wholesales to better men’s shops across the country, and sells direct at bowties.com.

Although it also sells standard neckties, which use a different manufacturing process that is outsourced to a New York factory, bow ties, as R. Hanauer’s web address would suggest, are its specialty, and fortunately they’ve been undergoing something of a revival the past few years. “One of our retail accounts say they sell six bowties for every standard necktie,” says Randall Hanauer, Jr. Eighteen months ago the company moved into a new facility on Main Street, where added visibility has helped fuel a local renaissance as well. Bow ties have lately become trendy at high school sporting events, says Hanauer.

Other makers have noticed, and he says the bow-tie market is quickly crowding. “People have stepped on the bandwagon, and we see start-up bow tie companies all the time,” says Hanauer. “It’s a little frustrating, but I think our longevity will prove that a quality manufacturer of bow ties in the U.S. is making something people will continue to buy for years.”

To rise above the competition, Hanauer makes sure its customers and retail shops get the message that its ties are special. “We make sure everyone knows that we have the best-tying bow tie on the market, period,” he says. “There’s no other bow tie that ties as well as ours.” The secret has to do with cutting the fabric and lining on the bias, he says, which gives the tie a bit of stretch. “It takes a little more fabric, but we think it’s worth it for tying easier and making the bow look better all day.”

Hanauer’s bow ties and other accessories are made by a team of five seamstresses operating home sewing machines. “It’s really challenging to find good work,” says Hanauer. “People who come in and have worked at factories making jeans — it’s just not the same type of work. We need someone who’s been sewing since childhood and has a passion for making clothes.”

Christian Chensvold is an Apparel contributing writer covering men’s fashion and the apparel industry, and also runs the blog Ivy-Syle.com.