Grenadine Ties - The Stylish Gentleman's Guide
To what makes them so unique.
Elizabetta Perkins
1 min. read
Elizabetta Perkins
1 min. read
And why is it considered
not only a staple but an essential part of every discerning gentleman's wardrobe?
And why is it considered
not only a staple but an essential part of every discerning gentleman's wardrobe?
Is made exclusively in the Lake Como area of Northern Italy. The fabric is made from tightly twisted silk yarns that are then loosely woven on historic wooden shuttle looms that date back to the early 20th century.
There are only two mills in the world that weave genuine grenadine silk, Fermo Fossati 1871, a historic silk-manufacturing company founded in the mid-19th century and Seteria Bianchi, established in 1907. Here at Elizabetta, we buy fabric from both, as each has different colors.
One of the sought after features of a grenadine tie is that it has a unique, attractive texture and dull luster.
Not to be confused with a knitted tie, a silk grenadine tie offers a more formal look than a knitted tie, but it can still be worn in a wide range of situations. Much in demand, these two small mills in Como can only weave so much grenadine a year. This makes a real grenadine necktie a very special and exclusive item to own.
Fun fact:
Grenadine ties are perhaps best known for being a favorite of the character James Bond, starting with Sean Connery in his 007 roles. You don't have to be Bond to make a grenadine look good, though. All you need to know are a few tips on how to identify a grenadine and when and how to wear it.
These old wooden looms can produce different textured grenadine weaves.
The most common are fina and grossa. As their names suggest, one is fine and one is large.
A navy blue grenadine tie should be a staple in every gentleman's wardrobe. At Elizabetta we make 2 different shades of navy, the Marino (pictured here), a lighter navy and the Cavour, a very dark navy blue.
Grenadine fina can also be woven with a pattern, in this case a polka dot (pois), and to make this tie even more unique, the silk threads are a not solid, but a melange of different blues, creating a gorgeous visual texture.
Garza grossa is a larger,
looser weave than the garza fina. The grossa weave has a more nubby texture and duller sheen. Because of this, it has a slightly more casual look to it and makes a larger knot.
The fabric itself is woven in one of the two mills in Como, Italy. Because the looms are old wooden looms, and because there are only two mills, the quantity of any color fabric made at any one time is small.
The twisted silk yarns used are yarn-dyed, meaning the yarn itself is dyed, the color comes from the dyed yarn, not from printing the fabric after it is woven.
Next, a tailor in Como cuts the grenadine fabric on a 45° angle, which is called the true bias. This results in a tie that when worn, hangs properly and does not roll. All quality ties are made from fabric cut on the true bias. When you cut fabric on less than a 45% angle, you can make more ties out of the same amount of fabric, but the ties then have a tendency to roll and not make a proper dimpled knot. It is a common way to produce ties that cost less.
At Elizabetta we choose to add an interlining of pure wool. This not only gives the tie some body, but helps the tie to keep its shape for many years of wear.
Our ties are then hand sewn with a loop stitch, leaving a small thread loop at the end. This lets the tie move and stretch as it is pulled, knotted and unknotted. The loop gives the tie the ability to do all these things without ripping and allows the tie to go back to its original shape.
We then tip the end of our neckties with our signature pure silk pinstripe fabric. This gives the tioe a refined finish that looks as good on the back as the front.
Grenadine neckties are often associated with formality, yet
their versatility extends beyond just weddings and special events.
While they make an excellent choice for these occasions, they also manifest a refined charm suitable for business settings, dinner dates, or even a smart casual look paired with a tweed jacket for example. The occasions you choose to wear your grenadine ties depend on your personal style and preferences.
Take advantage of the opportunity to let your grenadine tie serve as more than just an accessory—it can be a conversation starter, adding that extra touch of refinement to your overall style.
We offer two sizes of ties.
58.5-59" (148-150cm) standard length, suitable for most men under 6'2"
62.5-63" (158-160cm) extra long length, suitable for most men 6'2" and over.
As you can see from the photo, grenadine silk is an open weave and therefore delicate. Treated with care, your Elizabetta grenadine tie will last for many, many years.
Here in Italy, grenadine fabric is called "garza a giro inglese" which means "English weave gauze."
This is because the wooden looms used in Como to produce grenadine fabric descend from an English bobbin net machine that was invented by John Heathcoat. The machine was the first of its kind to produce a lace-type fabric and make gauze fabric. The old wooden shuttle looms used in Como are similar, but have evolved to create the classic and elaborate jacquard gauze weave silk used for grenadine ties.
Como has a long tradition of silk production, dating back to the 1400s when the Duke of Milan ordered the planting of mulberry trees around Lake Como to promote sericulture. Consequently, by the 17th century, Como had become famous throughout all of Europe for producing the finest silk fabrics.
Como today still produces some of the world’s most beautiful silk, including of course, silk grenadine.