Considering that the necktie is supposed to be dying a slow death, there sure are an awful lot of start-up neckwear companies lately. Most push their made-in-USA credentials, and I think all of us — from nouveau-prep twentysomething to the oldest of old-school traditionalists — who are interested in tailored clothing can laud any new guy whose outlet for his entrepreneurial spirit is the neckwear industry.
One of the latest to deserve applause for helping to make neckties hip and relevant — and yes, they could use that — is Hugh Simms, a graduate of both Cornell and the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. Simms was raised on the eastern shore of Maryland where, according to his bio, he’s a distant grandson of Lord Baltimore, the founder of the state.
Simms’ neckties, which feature many preppy-with-a-twist motifs, are handmade in Los Angeles. — CC
Don’t care for the photo. Dislike untied bow ties (except Fred Astaire’s in “Daddy Long Legs,” which he left untied on purpose so it would flutter out when he spun).
Having said that, the bow ties look nice enough, and I hope they are successful.
Am I the only one who finds the idea of a west coast tiemaker amusing?
@K
Originally, I was going to say that I was pleasantly surprised to discover something good coming out of L.A., but I think that your comment hit the nail on the head.
Perhaps this tasteless advert is not meant in jest but it seems to stoop to the hipsters nevertheless. Much of this sort of ANTI-Ivy/Trad/Prep ersatz rubbish is trendy (Rugby, Thom Browne, gay Glee urban Prep(?!) crap, etc. and will find its way to the ash heap.
Does he realize that there are 12 inches in a foot, and not 10? What do they teach at the ivy league schools these days?
BK
We are talking LA LA Land………Hollywood, land of make believe. Does any one think any leading men are over 5′ 8″, Mr. Cruise for example. If I wanted to cash-in, I’d open a shoe repair shop, shoe lifts, not ties.
PS In make believe land, this guy is tall enough to play for the Lakers.
Thomas, I feel l should respond to your remark as “tasteless advert” is an unfair criticism of a post you didn’t like. “Lame editorial decision” would be more accurate.
I chose to write about this brand because I thought it within my rather wide editorial parameters. I did not receive goods or cash in exchange for this publicity for the brand. Some bloggers do that, but I don’t. Nor did I do the post in hopes of winning Mr. Simms as an advertiser. In our brief email exchange he had expressed no such interest, and the site’s ad slots are fortunately all sold out anyway.
Individual readers know where they fall on the hipster-to-fuddy duddy scale and needn’t concern themselves with any other readers but themselves. I, however, am always well aware that I have a wide range of readers, and that I can’t please all of them all of the time.
Best,
CC
Christian,
I believe the “tasteless advertisement” remark was directed at Hugh Simms, not at you or the Ivy Style Blog.I too assumed that the photo was an ad being run elsewhere. It didn’t occur to me for a moment that you were running it.
Christian
Did you step in it this time? I think not, your articles always produce comments, that makes this blog fun and interesting. Now, tell the truth, you got a closet full of these ties. 😉
I support Mr. Simms as an entrepreneur, not my cup of tea, but I bet there is a demand for his product, good for him, I wish him luck.
Considering that the first comment left was “are you f***king kidding?” (granted, it was from the UK), I assumed the tasteless advert in question was the post. If that’s not what Thomas meant, let my comment stand anyway for future clarification.
so…. are you fucking kidding?
Wow, he’s a close follower of the site.
While I commented yesterday about the local of Hugh Simms; I never critiqued his product. While I am uncertain of the quality, his pattern selection was not that bad and I like the narrower ties he offers. What I do find odd is that a hipster tie maker would choose to make butterfly cut bow ties as opposed to a narrow wing.
Kevin
Thomas is just being a fuddy duddy naysayer. With respect to what he calls, “anti,” I say that it is a fine introduction to a generation that has grown up with very little influence. Sure, we may mock the extremes of neo-prep, but I can’t help but think that it is gaining us converts which will settle down into more traditional versions of prep when the neo-prep trend sets. It happened in the 80s. It is happening now. Wouldn’t be surprised if it happens again in 2040. All to the good, I say.
Man you guys are unforgiving and stiff. I like Hugh simms and other off the cuff designers. It seems that most of you are so caught up in being caricatures of the “ivy/trad” aesthetic that expression has become a terroristic concept.
Christian, et al.: 1. I did not think it was an advert; if I want slobbering sycophancy I would dive down to “unabashedly prep” (sic). 2. My point is one of pointing out that ivy/trad/prep styles do not always translate well, such as the penchant for today’s Herman Munster- look jackets. 3. Having looked at Kionon/Kevin’s blog numerous times, I must say I am disappointed by his comments and thoughts expressed above, but hardly surprised. 4. Perhaps a round of golf in NY around the time of the FIT event would be in order wherein we could strut our stuff.