Dan's Papers - June 12, 2009 - It's All About the Tie

The month of June symbolizes a few things to me - the start of the summer season and the Mountain Laurel that blooms mid June, just in time for Father's Day. Father's Day is the day that we can really show our love and appreciation to our dads by giving them a special gift for the occasion. My special gift to my dad was always a very special tie to match his very special suits.

The necktie is part of a formal code. There are a variety of ties that include dress shirt ties, boardroom ties, bowties, novelty ties, silk ties, designer ties and tuxedo ties, just to mention a few. The tie is from ancient Egypt. By tying rectangular cloths around their necks, it showed social status. The modern necktie dates directly to 1660, made popular by Louis XIV, which grew to be so popular it spread through Europe, and then to America. Soon the well-dressed man never left home without wearing a band of silk around his neck. In the year 1924, a New York tie-maker cut the tie at a 45-degree angle, on the bias, causing the tie to hang in a straight line from the knot. He sewed the tie from three pieces of fabric, rather than two, then patented this method, which remained the basic formula for manufacturers worldwide.

We all know that fewer men are wearing ties, especially during summers with casual attire work environments. The same is true, if not more so, in the Hamptons. However, through the many decades of menswear trend changes, the tie continues to be the one menswear accessory that men rely on to pull their ensemble or overall look together. "You can hide a bad belt or a mediocre pair of shoes, but you can't hide a bad tie."

In the Hamptons, with the slew of charity and other 'A' list evening affairs, men still wear ties to most of them, and they only wear the very best. Where do they get them? The 'A' list men get the best at Bergdorf, Barney's, Saks or direct from the manufacturer.

RVR is a men's luxury neckwear company with a strong online following from the most successful, dress conscious men. The man behind the tie is Robert Valdes-Rodriguez, RVR to many friends, colleagues and business partners. "We're exclusive and passionate about exceeding the demands of the discriminating man," said Valdes-Rodriguez, owner and Quogue resident. "We've entered this market because we believe that the best tie you've ever worn is the one you are viewing on the RVR site. It's all about elegance, inside and out. Exclusive silks, woven by the world's most heralded mills, are hand folded and stitched to perfection. The results are ties that have been so carefully crafted, you can't help but see and feel the difference." As a former Wall Street executive, Valdes-Rodriguez had a 'lucky' tie, one that he always wore to important meetings and client pitches. After 20 successful years with his 'lucky' tie, it got old and frayed. His fruitless search for a replacement led him to design his own tie. It quickly turned into a passion, ultimately resulting in a collection, simply named RVR. The RVR Oxford Blue is the 'lucky tie' that gave him the idea and passion of his company. RVR ties debuted in the spring of 2008, presenting its first collection in July 2008 at The Warwick Hotel in New York. The company is in the midst of preparing for its third season, which will include a foray into silk pocket squares. The ties are 100% silk, woven and hand-tailored in Italy. The silk mill producing their designs is one of the most exclusive in the world, having produced silk masterpieces for governments and principalities (The Vatican, European Parliament, White House, The Royal Palace, Stockholm just to name a few). Valdes-Rodriguez personally supervises all aspects of our collection's production from the design to the last stitch.

Though the company only recently formed, already RVR ties are getting the attention of retailers and successful men around the country. There are two retailers in New York City and another 20 around the country carrying RVR ties. In New York City, H. Herzfeld Inc., a longstanding Haberdasher on 57th Street (between Park Avenue and Lexington) and The Plaza Hotel boutique, part of the new Plaza Retail Collection. The Plaza Boutique in New York City commissioned RVR to design and make a tie woven from 24K gold yarn. Its mill in Italy is one of the few in the world that can do this. These RVR 24K gold ties are currently selling at The Plaza boutique for over $300. All other RVR ties retail for about $185. To purchase them directly online, go to rvrneckwear.com. In the Hamptons, they are available at Kabbaz-Kelly & Sons of East Hampton (631-267-7609, by appointment only). Its online retail site, CustomShirt1.com will be offering RVR ties this summer. You can also buy them directly at rvrneckwear.com or by calling 646-436-1883.