The Dark Knot official affiliate thread - Affordable Luxury neckties

[Academic2]

Given that brown is one of the most versatile colors for a tie, I’m a bit surprised that you offer no brown ties (according to your website the available colors are black, blue, burgundy, coral, green, grey, lilac, light blue, navy, orange, pink, purple, red, wine, yellow).

Any hope for brown ties in the future?

Cheers,

Ac

 

[Dark Knot]

Given that brown is one of the most versatile colors for a tie, I’m a bit surprised that you offer no brown ties (according to your website the available colors are black, blue, burgundy, coral, green, grey, lilac, light blue, navy, orange, pink, purple, red, wine, yellow).

Any hope for brown ties in the future?

Cheers,

Ac

Thank you for your interest in our brand Academic2. We recently introduced a new line with a brown tie, but have yet to add the color variation in the filter. It is a silk wool blend - Woodstock Abstract

http://www.thedarkknot.com/products/woodstock-abstract-brown-purple-grey

We will take this into consideration and look to design more brown ties in the future. Thank you for your input. I really appreciate it.


Regards,



Rishi Chullani

The Dark Knot

 

[Academic2]

Thanks for the link.

Cheers,

Ac

 

[Dark Knot]

The Dark Knot's Favorite work ties!

Below are some of our favorite ties for the work place!

As a reminder, we are currently offering Style Forum members a 30% discount on orders of 3 Ties or more (free shipping included!)

For a purchase of 3 ties, that equates to less than $100 for ties worth $135

Discount code at checkout: STYLEFORUM (caps sensitive)


Waterbury Blue (Has proven to be very popular)


Marlow Wine


Winsted Blue (proven to be very popular)

Glastonbury Circles Burgundy (proven to be very popular)


Stafford Squares Red (proven to be very popular)


Stratford Abstract Purple (proven to be popular)


Wilton Stripes Pink (proven to be extremely popular)


Dover Squares Blue (proven to be extremely popular)


Newport Dots Burgundy (proven to be very popular)

Berkshire Abstract Grey


Montpelier Abstract Navy (proven to be popular)

Hanover Abstract Blue

 

[Dib]



Feedback appreciated Thanks for all of your input so far this week. Just to summarize, this is what makes our ties unique, and below that, what the key properties of our tie construction are. I am really looking for as much feedback as I can from this community, so please feel free to chime in with your thoughts: What makes our ties unique? (1) We have over 100 designs across both Woven and Printed Silk, spanning patterns including: Stripes, Solids, Neats, Abstracts, Plaid, Dots, Squares and Animal Prints. (2) All of our neckties are 100% silk handmade, with silk tipping, and interlined with a double layer of Wool and Cotton, resulting in high quality feel. (3) With customer focus at the forefront of our philosophy, we have a card that comes with each purchase with matching recommendations for suits and shirts. (4) All of our ties come with two tie clips that slide through the reverse side of your tie and fasten to two shirt buttons, thereby helping to keep your tie firmly in place. (5) Our neckties come in elegant, rich, packaging that makes for the perfect gift item. How are our ties constructed? (1) All of our ties are 100% hand made from silk and interlined with a double layer of wool and cotton. (2) Our ties are all 3-fold constructed. (3) All of our ties are tipped with silk. (4) All of our ties are available in regular length (58 inches for men up to 6'1) and extra long length (63 inches for men 6'1 and over). (5) Our ties feature keepers and label loops that have been sewn into the seams, allowing for reinforced fabric that will keep your tie lasting you for a long time.

Hi There Congratulations on your new venture, although I have to say there are a few elements that don't quite stack up for me. A few questions and comments (in no particular order): (1) You set out above why your ties are unique. I'm not sure what differentiates your ties from, for example, TM Lewin (they also make their ties from 100% silk, cut on the bias, offer over 100 designs etc etc) and offer ties in a similar price bracket. (2) You mention above that ALL of your ties are made from 100% silk, yet a quick browse of your website indicates some ties are made from wool/silk blends (e.g. your Woodstock Abstract tie) - there's nothing wrong with this (I have some great wool/silk blend ties), but it does mean the repeated statements about your ties being 100% silk are a little misleading. (3) A lot of emphasis is being placed on the double wool/cotton interlining and the thicker, more substantial, tie, this produces. I appreciate some customers may prefer thicker ties, but I don't necessarily agree that this makes for a better tie (some of the best tie manufacturers in the world will make ties with very light, or no, interlining (e.g. Marinella, EG Cappelli, or Styleforum's own Sam Hober and Vanda Fine Clothing). Again, whilst I appreciate this is a matter of taste, thicker chunkier ties can often lack the elegance and drape of a lightly lined tie and so I'm not sure if this is a particularly strong selling point for me. (4) As Manchambo mentions above, I'm not sure a lot of the designs will appeal to the broader SF crowd - to put it simply, a lot of the designs look more at the TM Lewin end of the spectrum to me than the Drakes/Marinella end of the spectrum (I'm referring here to the designs, rather than the overall quality of the product (as I appreciate it is not fair to compare the overall quality to ties which retail at a far higher price). (5) There appear to be 3 different price brackets for your ties, but as far as I could see there was nothing on your website explaining what warrants the difference in prices. (6) I find overt statements about why the ties are sophisticated a little off-putting (for example, the statement in one of your illustrations above that the self-loop "adds to the sophistication level of the tie"). The quality of a product should speak for itself and whilst I appreciate it's difficult to get that across over the internet, I do feel statements like "we have done this to make the tie look more sophisticated" actually have the opposite effect. It's obvious you've put a lot of work into this so hopefully the above feedback is useful (as it was based on my initial impressions of the brand and product upon an initial browse of this thread and your website). Dib

 

[Dark Knot]

Hi There

Congratulations on your new venture, although I have to say there are a few elements that don't quite stack up for me.

A few questions and comments (in no particular order):

(1) You set out above why your ties are unique. I'm not sure what differentiates your ties from, for example, TM Lewin (they also make their ties from 100% silk, cut on the bias, offer over 100 designs etc etc) and offer ties in a similar price bracket.

(2) You mention above that ALL of your ties are made from 100% silk, yet a quick browse of your website indicates some ties are made from wool/silk blends (e.g. your Woodstock Abstract tie) - there's nothing wrong with this (I have some great wool/silk blend ties), but it does mean the repeated statements about your ties being 100% silk are a little misleading.

(3) A lot of emphasis is being placed on the double wool/cotton interlining and the thicker, more substantial, tie, this produces. I appreciate some customers may prefer thicker ties, but I don't necessarily agree that this makes for a better tie (some of the best tie manufacturers in the world will make ties with very light, or no, interlining (e.g. Marinella, EG Cappelli, or Styleforum's own Sam Hober and Vanda Fine Clothing). Again, whilst I appreciate this is a matter of taste, thicker chunkier ties can often lack the elegance and drape of a lightly lined tie and so I'm not sure if this is a particularly strong selling point for me.

(4) As Manchambo mentions above, I'm not sure a lot of the designs will appeal to the broader SF crowd - to put it simply, a lot of the designs look more at the TM Lewin end of the spectrum to me than the Drakes/Marinella end of the spectrum (I'm referring here to the designs, rather than the overall quality of the product (as I appreciate it is not fair to compare the overall quality to ties which retail at a far higher price).

(5) There appear to be 3 different price brackets for your ties, but as far as I could see there was nothing on your website explaining what warrants the difference in prices.

(6) I find overt statements about why the ties are sophisticated a little off-putting (for example, the statement in one of your illustrations above that the self-loop "adds to the sophistication level of the tie"). The quality of a product should speak for itself and whilst I appreciate it's difficult to get that across over the internet, I do feel statements like "we have done this to make the tie look more sophisticated" actually have the opposite effect.

It's obvious you've put a lot of work into this so hopefully the above feedback is useful (as it was based on my initial impressions of the brand and product upon an initial browse of this thread and your website).

Dib

Dear Dib,

Thank you for your candid and extensive feedback and for having taken the time out to read about our brand. I really appreciate it.

(1) Yes, I agree with you. Makers like TM Lewin do provide a breadth of product offering at a similar price point. Where we are truly differentiating ourselves, along with
affordable luxury neckwear, is in providing an experience that goes beyond our neckwear moving off a 'shelf'. We are just as concerned with helping men dress better. Each of our
ties comes with a card with recommendations for matching suits and shirts, and two tie clips (one essentially a replacement) that slide through the reverse side of your tie and fasten to shirt buttons, thereby keeping the ties in place. Our online shop also features a filter on the left hand side where you can screen your ties based on certain criteria, which also include matching shirt and suit combinations. Furthermore, we provide a pledge with each purchase that we will help all customers match ours, or any of their existing neckties, to suits and shirts.

In summary, we are providing a holistic customer / style advisory experience that goes beyond just the sale and purchase of a necktie. Additionally, our ties come packaged in elegant gift like packaging, adding to the overall purchase experience.

(2) You are correct, we do have 4 wool silk blends, and I will update the literature of the site in due time to reflect this.

(3) There are makers out there with finer, thinner interlining. However, our focus has largely been on creating a strong, rich, thick knot, that many American men, and men world over, love. The double interlining layer allows for a strongly constructed knot to hold in place. The double interlining also helps the ties retain their shape, resulting in a more durable tie. This blends in with point number 6, where the overall meticulousness to construction (including smaller factors like label loops and keepers sewn into the seams) has resulted in a high quality, more durable necktie.

To go into more detail, the woolen interlining adds depth to the tie and strength to the interlining, while the cotton, in addition to adding another layer and some thickness, results in softer feel for the tie.

(4) I can only find out in due time. I respect your word and views on this, but I would hope that the breadth of members on Style Forum will allow for diversity in tastes. In the meantime, I would like to know what kind of ties yourself and conventional Style Forum members would be on the look out for in the future!

(5) The differences in price points are to do with the yarn count of silk for each respective price.

(6) I apologize if the statements have come across as off-putting. Maybe I didn't articulate it clearly enough. What I meant to say is that the attention to detail has resulted in a high quality, durable tie (which I felt inevitably leads to a higher sophistication level).

Thanks for your extensive input Dib. Much appreciated!


Regards,




Rishi Chullani

The Dark Knot

 

[Dib]



Dear Dib,

Thank you for your candid and extensive feedback and for having taken the time out to read about our brand.  I really appreciate it.

(1) Yes, I agree with you.  Makers like TM Lewin do provide a breadth of product offering at a similar price point.  Where we are truly differentiating ourselves, along with
affordable luxury neckwear, is in providing an experience that goes beyond our neckwear moving off a 'shelf'.  We are just as concerned with helping men dress better.  Each of our
ties comes with a card with recommendations for matching suits and shirts, and two tie clips (one essentially a replacement) that slide through the reverse side of your tie and fasten to shirt buttons, thereby keeping the ties in place.  Our online shop also features a filter on the left hand side where you can screen your ties based on certain criteria, which also include matching shirt and suit combinations.  Furthermore, we provide a pledge with each purchase that we will help all customers match ours, or any of their existing neckties, to suits and shirts.

In summary, we are providing a holistic customer / style advisory experience that goes beyond just the sale and purchase of a necktie.  Additionally, our ties come packaged in elegant gift like packaging, adding to the overall purchase experience.

(2) You are correct, we do have 4 wool silk blends, and I will update the literature of the site in due time to reflect this.

(3) There are makers out there with finer, thinner interlining.  However, our focus has largely been on creating a strong, rich, thick knot, that many American men, and men world over, love.  The double interlining layer allows for a strongly constructed knot to hold in place.  The double interlining also helps the ties retain their shape, resulting in a more durable tie.  This blends in with point number 6, where the overall meticulousness to construction (including smaller factors like label loops and keepers sewn into the seams) has resulted in a high quality, more durable necktie.  

To go into more detail, the woolen interlining adds depth to the tie and strength to the interlining, while the cotton, in addition to adding another layer and some thickness, results in softer feel for the tie.

(4) I can only find out in due time.  I respect your word and views on this, but I would hope that the breadth of members on Style Forum will allow for diversity in tastes.  In the meantime, I would like to know what kind of ties yourself and conventional Style Forum members would be on the look out for in the future!

(5) The differences in price points are to do with the yarn count of silk for each respective price.

(6) I apologize if the statements have come across as off-putting.  Maybe I didn't articulate it clearly enough.  What I meant to say is that the attention to detail has resulted in a high quality, durable tie (which I felt inevitably leads to a higher sophistication level).

Thanks for your extensive input Dib.  Much appreciated!


Regards,




Rishi Chullani

The Dark Knot

Thanks for the detailed response Rishi and good luck with the venture.

Dib

 

[Dark Knot]

More Conservative Ties

Based on feedback from Style Forum members that the pictures posted from some of our earlier collections feature ties that are somewhat flamboyant and loud, I would like to present some of our more conservative, understated ties that I believe would do well here. We really do want to present a range that caters to a variety of tastes.

Please note we are offering Style Forum members a 30% discount on orders of 3 Ties or more (Free shipping globally included).

For an order of 3 Ties, this equates to less than $100 for ties worth $135

Discount code at checkout: STYLEFORUM

Newport Dots Ties



Woodstock Abstract Ties









Berkshire Abstract Ties





Marlow Wine


Winsted Blue


Stafford Squares Ties

 

[Dark Knot]

9 Necktie Patterns worth owning!

 

[Dark Knot]

Quality Control Standards
Given that we are based in Hong Kong and that our production partners are in China, we now make frequent visits for design incorporation, assessment of new technological methods for pattern cutting and weaving that are in conjunction with the hand stitching of the actual neckties, fabric weaving inspections and product quality inspections. As such, we can confidently say that we are bringing you product that has gone through the most stringent of quality controls from both our regular supply-side visits in addition to stringent production manager controls at the factory floor level.
Below are images of myself conducting rigorous quality control on the actual factory floor! Believe me when I say I had plenty of elderly Chinese women giving me odd looks as I sat there meticulously working my way through a massive production run, ensuring that defects were as minimal as possible!

 

[richardiraha]

Beautiful ties

 

[Dark Knot]

Beautiful ties

Thank you Ricardiraha. Appreciate the sentiment!



Regards,




Rishi Chullani

The Dark Knot

 

[Dark Knot]

Matching Ties

Here are pictures taken from our Instagram feed of our ties matched against various shirts. What kind of shirt would you match these ties with?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Waterbury Blue



Deerfield Grey



Montauk Ducks Burgundy



Stratford Abstract Purple



Watermill Fish Blue w/ Pink



Winsted Blue



Barnstable Crabs Blue with Pink

 

[Dark Knot]

Matching Ties

Please let us know your thoughts on our most recent post regarding matching of our ties to various shirts!

As a reminder, we are offering Style Forum members 30% off any order of 3 or more Ties.
For 3 Ties, this equates to less than $100 for ties worth $135 (free shipping included).

Discount code at checkout: STYLEFORUM

 

[Dark Knot]

Classic Striped Tie against a checkered shirt


A great workplace tie, here is our Foxborough Repp Blue Tie against a Gingham Checkered Shirt!