One of the characteristics of traditional clothiers across the years is how many of them were family businesses passed down through the generations. That’s how Brooks Brothers began nearly 200 hundred years ago. And J. Press went through three generations.
There aren’t many businesses like that left, but one of them is R. Hanauer (aka BowTies.com), which was founded by father Randy in 1985, and is co-run with his son Randall, out of their headquarters in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The company’s new fall collection features the medallion, paisley, striped and novelty bow ties it’s known for, as well as standard four-in-hand neckties and pocket squares.
I see them twice a year during menswear market week here in New York, and they certainly seem to make a great team that enjoys working together. If there are any father-son rivalries — like quibbling over design details — it must all occur behind the scenes because I can’t catch a whiff of it.
Below are some shots from the new collection, and, at the bottom, a fine shot of the company’s gentle patriarch. — CC
Randy is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.
Love their ties hope to visit them in a trip back from SC.
Looks like a very nice store.
Too bad the jackets shown suffer from
squared off shoulders.
I’m sure they’ll appreciate your kind words, roger.
Another intergenerational haberdasher is John Helmer (johnhelmer.com) in downtown Portland, Oregon, now in its third generation of family ownership (John Helmer III is the current proprietor). Known for their wide selection of hats, they also have a variety of ties (including bow ties), as well as some of the more obscure items of haberdashery, such as canes and sock garters. Not strictly a trad/Ivy store, they still have some staples, such as seersucker suits. Stop in and say “hi” the next time you’re in The Hipster Haven of the Leftist Coast!
@roger sack:
Everybody is not required to be a natural shoulder fetishist.
I, for one, wear two-button jackets with squared-off shoulders, pleated, un-cuffed trousers, and still am a loyal reader of this blog.
Nice Ties!
Randy certainly looks great in the bow tie/shawl collar sweater combo. Judging from his face, he looks to me like a man with whom I would feel comfortable entering a contract with nothing more than a hand shake.
Will
nothing says Ivy like a purple peak lapel jacket! Terrific!
Randy’s shop is just across the Catawba River from me in Ft. Mill, SC. I wear almost exclusively Randy’s ties and even got married in a tie and cummerbund from Randy. I love to see their business getting the recognition it deserves.
I was travelling in Boston last year and browsed the tie table at NRO. I flipped over the first tie that caught my eye and lo and behold it was an R. Hanauer. Even travelling 800+ miles away from home, I ended up with one of his ties. Impossible to beat their quality.
The ties look astounding! Too bad I already have too many bow ties.
If you find them astounding, then it sounds like you need to purge the ones you already have that you don’t find astounding, and get a couple new ones!
Christian, have you heard of Brackish Bow Ties? They are a company based in Charleston that sells bow ties made from iridescent feathers. They are pricey, but I am thinking of getting one. They also sell a bowtie set for father and son: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/Brackish-Bowties-Father-Son-Cali-Feather-Bow-Tie/prod203440058/p.prod?ecid=NMCS__GooglePLA&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=NMCS__GooglePLA&utm_campaign=BrackishBowties
Sage advice!
Pathetic catty little snipes at two gentlemen tell me that some readers here need a hobby besides clothing. Go cook something.
In reviewing the closeup photos of Randy’s bow ties, it struck me that the neckband is not showing in any of them. Dare I say “clip-ons”?
I have been selling Randy’s and now Randall’s Bow Ties, Cummerbunds, and Pocket Squares since the early 90’s great products and great people to work with! And for me they are only 7 miles away.
RDK Clothiers