#blvdier

The word for pomegranate in French is grenade.  Most people can figure out a grenade (bomb) resembles the inside of a pomegranate.  Few people know that the bar syrup, grenadine, was originally made from pomegranate juice.  

But what does grenadine mean in terms of fabric?  Precisely what you think it does.  When a leno weave* is produced out of silk on wooden jacquard looms, as all true grenadine fabrics now are, it creates what could be best be described as pomegranate seeds.  This texture is “often imitated, but never duplicated.”  The hand of the silk becomes almost crunchy**.  Of course, the expertise and knowledge of how to create such fabric only happens in Como, Italy. 

Grenadine ties are the bedrock of a man’s tie collection.  Produced in Salerno, Italy, we line our ties but refuse to tip them, using a hand-rolled finish to the blades.  Coming in ink, onyx, whisky and Air Force blue, our ties are packaged in a BLVDier custom printed, canvas drawstring bag***.  Typically seen at a $150+ price point, ours are offered at $95. 

Photos by @superdanger-us.

*A leno weave is often seen interpreted as lace-like curtains in your grandparent’s home.

**Allowing a wonderful knot to be tied.

Alex Maier in a mid grey, chalk stripe two piece suit.

For this garment we played a little with styles • Typically, striped fabrics exude a business-like appearance and are best for court and board rooms.  However, we decided to soften the shoulder and move the pic stitch in from 2mm to 6mm from the edge.  A distinctly bourbon brown button along with an unlined jacket helped create a more dynamic suit.

Of course the wider distance between stripes, the cuffs and single pleats on the pants are homages to a time when this suit was the norm.  I’d like to think Alex took the stuffiness out of the stripes.