Zutiste

Brown. Turn that frown upside down.

Ok, sure, no one walks around wearing a white shirt & bow tie in real life & just happens to stand side on bathed in the warm light of afternoon sun.

But you have to admit that a plain background does present neckwear in a favourable light. As do the moody shadows cast by the strong sunlight from out of frame.

Seersucker by the way is an underrated shirt fabric. It’s one of the subversions on the white classic that we favour here at Zutiste for its subtle difference in texture.

It’s important though to find a shifting that isn’t too thick, otherwise the seersucker bubbles become overwhelming. This one is from a Swiss mill sources through our shirtmaker.

Our fine tweed bow tie on the dapper Galaad Moutoz of his eponymous Swing Orchestra.

A few pieces in our collection are currently appearing as part of the Galaad’s barnstorming jazz spectacle Harlem Swing Show as it tours France.

Costume changes aside, the show includes spell-binding music, song & dance that will take you back, or sideways (depending on your view of time travel) to the profound mystic & rhythm of the 1930s & ‘40s in a manner rendered especially pleasurable under the guidance of this accomplished band of jazz musicians.

It was also an age where different types of neckwear—neck ties, neckerchieves & bow ties—adorned the necks & collars of many classy & rakish types.

What caused the necktie to triumph when it is so plainly unsuitable to most physical activity & standards of convenience?

Wait, wait... the answer is clear: it is after all bigger in (visible) surface area. Let’s call it an instrument of a brasher statement? The bow tie remains then as its refined & (in that sense at least) more subtle sidekick.

A twill bow tie is a good choice when, in your occasional quest to reflect profoundly over the finer details of your ensemble’s interplay and the subtle messages that it communicates to your admirers, you’re searching for something that will tone down your outfit.

There are a few elements to this bow tie that ensure that result: first of all the fabric is worsted wool with its wonderfully muted surface and fine texture. Secondly, it’s dark blue, the safest of colours. Thirdly it’s a relatively traditional triangle shape, as opposed to the slightly racy, youthful diamond shape bow.

It, and indeed anything similarly in a plain, subdued worsted wool, is a neckwear accessory that comfortably identifies what you’ve thrown on as being the result of a certain level of knowing what you’re doing.

Yet, as is always the case in this day and age, the fact that you’ve put on something a little more daring than a necktie will give you cause to smile, likely undetected, at your the large shot of brio in your repertoire.

Available now in our eboutique: http://zutiste.com/En/Verlaine

Bow ties on the cutting table.

Their manner of construction is small, meticulous and mostly invisible save to the expert eye of our sewing team.

Achieving those refined points, those gracious curves & just the right amount of cotton canvas so as to keep your bow tie springy yet flexible is a science developed over time and through experience.

A long sleeved polo shirt sits on the cusp of the casual wear–tie & jacket divide.

It shares many of a regular shirt’s properties: collar, cuffs, at least a few buttons; however it’s textures & lack of structure on the collar renders it more appropriate to certain settings (a relaxed yet stylish environment) than others (a cocktail party).

Similar to what we’re trying to achieve at Zutiste with our wool bow ties, it stands out a little, however due to its overly formal character. Rather, when worn with a suit it marks you as an individual because it’s difficult to pin down why it’s different.

And the two go together swimmingly: casual wool texture & casual soft collar. Throw on your favourite knitwear & your ensemble is indisputably well put-together.

Autumn was admittedly a few months ago. However our little photo shoot among the fallen still produced a fine series of photos of our signature bow wool ties.

In many ways the beginning of spring is the reverse of autumn. The weather is a little unsure: it’s sunny sometimes, but then it rains; it’s warm briefly but then one needs to reach for one’s coat.

In other words it’s certainly still a period for more restrained colours and deeper textures.

"My husband doesn’t object to me going out with you any more!".

Sunny Sunday afternoons with a burgundy & beige houndstooth bow tie. Available now: link in bio.

A writer in The @Guardian commented recently that global warming (for a fortunate few) simply means an earlier spring, whereas for most of the world’s population it holds catastrophic consequences.

'Portrait de Paul Guillaume' 1930, Kees Van Dongen (Musée de l'Orangerie, Paris)

After the First World War, Kees Van Dongen became the emblematic portrait artist of Parisian society in the 1920s, a period that marked the height of his career and brought him wealth and fame.