LAUNDERETTE / MONTE CARLO
Launderette isn’t a typical clothing label. It’s more like a curated collection of items that its owners like to wear. Run by husband-and-wife Keith and Leslie Paugh and their good friend Karl, the small company designs and produces very limited runs of its collections, which are all locally made.
Launderette has the subtle hint of a bygone era, when people dressed more formally even for casual activities.
Our favorite from the company’s collection is the Monte Carlo bow tie. The slim shape and the emerald green and navy stripes make for a sharp, dashing combination, and instantly add polish to any summer look.
To learn more about Launderette and see its other offerings, visit the label’s website. And if you need help figuring out how to tie a bow tie (there’s no shame in admitting it!), all you have to do is watch this very cool video Launderette produced and you should be all set.
HUGH SIMMS / DR. JECKYL BOW TIE
After attending the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM), instead of taking the traditional route of landing a job at a label, Hugh Simms decided he’d just start his own.
Simms describes his label’s style as “Ivy League Grit.” It combines a preppy aesthetic (which Simms derives from his Ivy League schooling and historic East Coast family roots) with an edgy, defiant streak. It’s a style that’s tailor made for the successful white collar professional who’s got a rebellious side.
All Hugh Simms neckwear is made by hand in the company’s workshop in Downtown Los Angeles using a production process that’s unchanged from how neckwear was made in the 1940s. It takes longer, but the result is a certain quality and craftsmanship that’s hard to replicate.
We asked Hugh to pick a favorite from his collection, and he chose the Dr. Jeckyl bow tie. It’s a cheeky take on a traditional, old fashioned look. Here’s another photo of it.
To see the label’s entire collection, visit the Hugh Simms website. You can also keep up with Simms on Twitter.
THE WINDMILL CLUB / TARTAN
The Windmill Club is a great startup label from designer Kevin Burrows featuring neck and bow ties. The label just released its fall offerings, which draw from collegiate and preppy fashion. We really like the approach - classic, yet at the same time fresh and modern.
It’s really hard to pick, but our favorite is the Tartan. Like the label’s entire line, the Tartan is a very limited run (only 12 made) and made from dead stock silk. Here’s another look at it.
Check out the entire line of neck and bow ties from The Windmill Club by visiting the company’s website.
FIGS / HERMANN BOW TIE
“Threads for threads.” That’s the slogan at FIGS, a Santa Monica-based company that’s about a lot more than making neckwear.
With every tie or bowtie purchase, FIGS gives a uniform to a child in order for them to attend school. They’ve started with schools in Kenya and Tanzania, and are hoping to take their mission worldwide.
The ties and bow ties at FIGS are simple and well made, a great addition to a sharp wardrobe. Our favorite from their line is the Hermann Bow Tie, a very proper bow tie indeed.
Learn more about FIGS and their philosophy by visiting their website.
$65
