It seems everyone is raising prices nowadays, but at least some are doing it because they’re making better products. The Knottery started a few years ago as an affordable men’s accessories label. Their constructions and materials were somewhat basic, but they also had reasonable prices to match.
In the last year or so, however, they’ve been slowly improving their line. Ties and pocket squares are now fully handsewn in New York City, and the company sources materials from some of the best mills in England (the same ones that supply all of the top-tier accessory labels). They’re also focusing a bit more on classic patterns and textures, which is nice. In the samples they loaned me, there was a brown oxford weave tie with ribbon stripes, as well as a green wool jacquard with little blue and yellow paisleys.
The best of the bunch was easily the boucle. A subtly textured, navy and black tie, it went as well with my tweeds as it did with my corduroy sport coats. You can think of it as a fall/ winter version of raw silk or a more seasonal version of grenadine. Solid colored, textured neckwear is something we recommend here a lot, and I like The Knottery’s boucle better than the striped version I bought from Drake’s.
I’m a little more reserved about the pocket squares. The silks are hand-screened printed (rather than ink-jet printed), which is nice, but they’re also a little small. Measuring just 12″ across, I find that they slip down too easily in my breast pocket. On other hand, Kent Wang’s popular squares are the same size and men who wear tighter jackets tell me that a smaller cut works better for them. Otherwise, a fuller square can make their breast pocket look like it’s concealing a potted plant.
The Knottery has some other things in store. There’s an oxford-cloth button-down shirt in the works, for example, made from what I think is the best oxford fabric on the market (I use the same stuff for my Ascot Chang orders). They also have some Casentino wool caps, for those who want a streetwear version of the famous Italian coat. Prices are a little higher nowadays than what they once were, but it’s nice to see that those hikes are justifiable.