Quintessential Knit Ties: Comprehensive Discussion & Appreciation

[Bespoke DJP]

Dear Fellow SFers

Having in mind that a number of now obsolete, or narrow-scoped threads used to exist, coupled with an ongoing interest for knit ties, I figured that this thread may host all opinions be on the aesthetic or the technical side of the matter.

Please endorse it as this may truly become a comprehensive forum for our beloved knit ties!

Dimitris

 

[Bespoke DJP]

Dear Gentlemen,

In order to encourage your precious contribution, I would like to cite an indicative, non-exhaustive list of themes that this thread may tackle on knit ties:
- square-end vs. pointed-end preferences
- width: what is your optimum?
- spring/summer vs. fall/winter materials
- hand: soft vs. "crunchy" (cri de la soie)
- provenance: a critique on makers and retailers

The thread will certainly welcome original photos or x-posts from other threads, with the polite request that pertinent information be there like provenance, construction/material details. Finally, we may pinpoint offerings that appear on the web or in brick-and-mortar shops for the benefit of everyone.

Having said that, and since I believe that the "raison d'être" of a forum is the dissemination of knowledge, I would appreciate if esteemed members of StyleForum, such as @TweedyProf, @MrTRC, @EliodA, @Academic2], @Darkside, @Mr. Six, and certainly @Claghorn, Thread Starter of an amazing all-embracing ties appreciation thread, amateur lovers of knit ties will embrace this thread as well!

Thanking you in advance,

Dimitris

 

[TweedyProf]

Pointed, 8cm, and crunchy for me

 

[Bespoke DJP]



Pointed, 8cm, and crunchy for me

Hi,

Thank you for your input, I truly appreciate it!

Are those elements part of one construction - like the ones that @gdl203 at NMWA has - or you may have a crunchy tie with square-end, or at 7cm of width like the ones that Kent Wang stocks?

Please do post, even it has already been posted elsewhere.

Thank you again

Dimitris

 

[TweedyProf]

That's optimal above. I'll tolerate 7.7 cm as in the Sozzi at Skoaktiebolaget but 8cm is preferable. Finer knits appeal less to me but they are all a bit crunchy anyway relative to grenadines.

 

[Bespoke DJP]



Hi,

Thank you for your input, I truly appreciate it!

Are those elements part of one construction - like the ones that @gdl203 at NMWA has - or you may have a crunchy tie with square-end, or at 7cm of width like the ones that Kent Wang stocks?

Please do post, even it has already been posted elsewhere.

Thank you again

Dimitris

That's optimal above. I'll tolerate 7.7 cm as in the Sozzi at Skoaktiebolaget but 8cm is preferable. Finer knits appeal less to me but they are all a bit crunchy anyway relative to grenadines. 

Hi,

Thank you again for your reply. Do you mind me asking which precisely were these ties from SkoAB? I am asking because being interested in certain Sozzi ties from their current offerings, when I asked Gabriel about their exact width I received a rather vague answer. Although I am quite fond of the guys, this was rather disappointing.

My preferable width is 7cm (at an absolute measurement) which can be found as long as it is the retailer's choice.

Best

Dimitris

 

[TweedyProf]

Sorry, memory is a funny thing, colored by what you want rather than what you can get. They are only 7cm.

http://us.skoaktiebolaget.se/collections/ties/products/sozzi-tie-knitted-forest-green

 

[Bespoke DJP]

Indeed, however he (Gabriel) was not adamant as to their exact width... I dunno, perhaps I have to revisit the subject and drop them a line. If they can find a measuring tape and time, they may have found themselves a customer.

As far as the 8cm of width, which is your appetite is concerned, beautiful knit pointed-end ties can be found at NMWA. You may take a look at their site, most of them are part of the Spring '16 collection; if you haven't been there yet, it is worthy!

Cheers

Dimitris

 

[MrTRC]

square-end vs. pointed-end preferences? Either
- width: what is your optimum? I guess around 7.5cm but you'd be hard-pressed to find knits in that width
- spring/summer vs. fall/winter materials? I really don't care for fall/winter knits - categorised by fabric and not colour; although i have two wool/ cash knits.
- hand: soft vs. "crunchy" (cri de la soie)? Either. I have both and they have their place
- provenance: a critique on makers and retailers? One of the few items of clothing where any will do and quality/ brand reputation isn't always important

I have both the NMWA and Skoak knit versions - we are talking last year here as things might have changed. The advertised size is shall we say, generous but not too bothersome.

I must say that this subject has been covered, i believe at length, in the excellent tie thread so you might find more details there but i understand this is a particular subset, so i kind of see where you are going.

 

[Sam H]

I just started getting into knit ties. I like pointed even though I feel like square is more traditional just because I think pointed gives it a more urbane look. I think if I purchased a horizontal stripe one, I'd go square, and I went square with my black one because I wanted to distinguish it from a black grenadine, but the bicolor black/white one I bought and the navy with white pin dot one I ordered recently I went with point because I prefer it and would rather wear these in urban, summery, casual contexts rather than country, Ivy League, tweed contexts.

I don't know if there is a standard for this at all but point feels more urbane if that's what you are going for or getting urbane patterns/colors (with black sort of standing on its own as black and therefore maybe best distinguished by a signature square end).

The three I own are Kent Wang.

 

[Bespoke DJP]



square-end vs. pointed-end preferences? Either

- width: what is your optimum? I guess around 7.5cm but you'd be hard-pressed to find knits in that width

- spring/summer vs. fall/winter materials? I really don't care for fall/winter knits - categorised by fabric and not colour; although i have two wool/ cash knits.

- hand: soft vs. "crunchy" (cri de la soie)? Either. I have both and they have their place

- provenance: a critique on makers and retailers? One of the few items of clothing where any will do and quality/ brand reputation isn't always important

I have both the NMWA and Skoak knit versions - we are talking last year here as things might have changed. The advertised size is shall we say, generous but not too bothersome.

I must say that this subject  has been covered,  i believe at length, in the excellent tie thread so you might find more details there but i understand this is a particular subset, so i kind of see where you are going.

Dear @MrTRC

Thank you very much for your input and your understanding; I do appreciate it.

Although, as I said before, I find that the Neckties Discussion Thread that @Claghorn has started is amazing with a lot of information, I would like to focus on knit ties, specialize if you like. So, there will be no comments like "I don't like knit ties, etc" but only contribution from knit-tie lovers like all three of us apparently are. Moreover, there will be no discussion on Grenadines (which I also love), Shantung, Jacquard, Printed vs. Woven, Macclesfield, etc, etc, you got the idea.

Furthermore, in my humble opinion, as in real life, there is no such a thing as "this subject has been covered"! One has to consider that there are not only junior members in SF, but also junior gentlemen in life; a piece of information or knowledge that someone is familiar with, perhaps it is news for someone else. For instance, I may respond to your legit comment that you'd be hard-pressed to find knits at 7.5cm by saying - something that you certainly know - that Shibumi-Berlin have differentiated themselves by sporting this width, and THIS be an actually valuable piece of information for another SFer who didn't know it! A lot of further examples may apply here.

Waiting for your future comments and/or picture,

Best

Dimitris

 

[Bespoke DJP]



I just started getting into knit ties. I like pointed even though I feel like square is more traditional just because I think pointed gives it a more urbane look. I think if I purchased a horizontal stripe one, I'd go square, and I went square with my black one because I wanted to distinguish it from a black grenadine, but the bicolor black/white one I bought and the navy with white pin dot one I ordered recently I went with point because I prefer it and would rather wear these in urban, summery, casual contexts rather than country, Ivy League, tweed contexts.

I don't know if there is a standard for this at all but point feels more urbane if that's what you are going for or getting urbane patterns/colors (with black sort of standing on its own as black and therefore maybe best distinguished by a signature square end).

The three I own are Kent Wang.

Hi,

Thank you very much for your contribution; I would appreciate if you could post original photos or even vendor's images for the rest of us to get a grasp.

As far as knit ties with horizontal stripes are concerned, I have only one, bought from NMWA (NY, USA) and it is my favorite; if interesting make-ups will be offered, I would certainly be challenged.

This tie has been worn only once with no photos taken, however I will make it up to you and post an image from the web and I hope that Greg (@gdl203) will not have any objections whatsoever.

A presentation along with a critique of the tie will be at your - and everybody else's - disposal should you wish to. Here it is:

Cheers,

Dimitris

 

[Sam H]

Here is my post in the Kent Wang thread. I even made a YouTube video of the bicolor knit to show the effect. When the navy/white dot one arrives I will post a photo
http://www.styleforum.net/t/151480/kent-wang-affiliate-thread/5130#post_8242821

 

[Bespoke DJP]



Here is my post in the Kent Wang thread. I even made a YouTube video of the bicolor knit to show the effect. When the navy/white dot one arrives I will post a photo
http://www.styleforum.net/t/151480/kent-wang-affiliate-thread/5130#post_8242821

Fantastic!

Thank you very much for the description and the visual of your ties; wear them in good health.

Following your exquisite post at Kent Wang - I believe that you would prefer this Thread from now on for future acquisitions - I find myself obliged to reciprocate and try to make a presentation along with a critique of my horizontal-striped knit tie:

1. Maker: Sozzi (Milan, Italy)
2. Retailer: NMWA (NY, USA)
3. Material: Silk 100%
4. Texture: Solid knit tie silk
5. Hand: less soft than the zigzag ones (the only other knit ties that I have)
6. Colors: Dark Brown (Sozzi color code: V9) with Royal Blue double horizontal stripes (Sozzi color code: V23)
7. Width: 7cm sharp! IMHO, this is the perfect width for knit ties and my absolute preference
8. Length: 1.435m, which I found correct for my height (I am 1.79m, I think it is 5'10 - 5'11 ft.)

The tie makes a perfect FIH knot with no problems within the working day, at a spread-collar shirt. My color combination was relevant to the one in the picture, producing an interesting aesthetic result.

I am no blogger, style expert, stylist, vendor, or affiliated to any of those, and thus I may objectively share my experience: this is a fantastic tie which I forcefully recommend to any gentleman here.

Best

Dimitris

 

[MrTRC]

Dear @MrTRC

Thank you very much for your input and your understanding; I do appreciate it.

Although, as I said before, I find that the Neckties Discussion Thread that @Claghorn has started is amazing with a lot of information, I would like to focus on knit ties, specialize if you like. So, there will be no comments like "I don't like knit ties, etc" but only contribution from knit-tie lovers like all three of us apparently are. Moreover, there will be no discussion on Grenadines (which I also love), Shantung, Jacquard, Printed vs. Woven, Macclesfield, etc, etc, you got the idea.

Furthermore, in my humble opinion, as in real life, there is no such a thing as "this subject has been covered"! One has to consider that there are not only junior members in SF, but also junior gentlemen in life; a piece of information or knowledge that someone is familiar with, perhaps it is news for someone else. For instance, I may respond to your legit comment that you'd be hard-pressed to find knits at 7.5cm by saying - something that you certainly know - that Shibumi-Berlin have differentiated themselves by sporting this width, and THIS be an actually valuable piece of information for another SFer who didn't know it! A lot of further examples may apply here.

Waiting for your future comments and/or picture,

Best

Dimitris

I have three shibumis - the zigzag silk knits - which are essentially rebranded sozzis/sorleys ( i might be wrong) and the stated measurements are also on the generous side.

The Knottery i believe makes silk-knits in larger widths and i had old RLPL and Tom Fords which were sized around 8.5cm ( i sold them).

RE: Subject matter of the thread, i restate that i see what you are going for and the parameters that pertains to this. I know it is not easy and Good Luck.