To Tie or Not To Tie

This past week, I was not able to go out in the world and try to learn a new, interesting craft. So instead, I interviewed one of my roommates, Tim, about a unique trip he took with work not too long ago. Tim works at 346 Madison Ave, home to Brooks Brothers’ headquarters and flagship store. As with some jobs, working at Brooks Brothers gives him some exclusive, first-rate perks, such his quick and witty fun facts about the double B that he can spew out at any moment. Did you know that their logo is actually a Golden Fleece and not a fat pig with a rainbow soaring above head? A Golden Fleece makes more sense, I guess. I’m still secretly rooting for the fat pig, though.

But one of Tim’s perks was much, much cooler than any normal job bonus. His bosses took him to one of their tie factories in Long Island City, Queens. At first, you may be thinking there’s nothing special about going to a single factory, but after hearing about his experience, it’s clear why Brooks Brothers clothing is held to the standard it holds today. 

For me, who knows absolutely nothing about technical fashion terms, Tim explained the factory process in four easy, laymen steps.

Step 1: Put One Foot in Front of the Other

The ties start as a simple sheet of fabric that’s cut off of massive textile rolls. Like huge rolls of fabric. They begin by drawing a tie template onto the sheets. But they do not simply draw a skinny tie or bow tie onto the fabric. The tie craftsmen need to draw the entire tie as one flat sheet. Just like when building a car, Ford doesn’t just plop a door onto the new F-150; it has to be built from within. The same care and detail is necessary for the classic formal attire accessory. Once drawn, the field of fabric goes into this special machine that is able to cut 10 ties at once. When they come out of the machine, they’re ready for the next step!

Step 2: From Rags to Stitches

This step is where the ties first begin to take their shape. It’s just like when the snowman you’ve been working on for hours is finally beginning to look like the Frosty of your dreams. But instead of you topping off the icy model, it’s the professionals putting together your tie that’s going to get you through your first job in the city. In this step, the craftsmen sew and bind the edges together to give the accessory its distinct look. They also attach the small pieces that we all take for granted, such as the label that lets us keep the tail from always popping out and the silky material on the back that is actually known as “tipping.”

Step 3: Because I Was Inverted

At this point, the decorative neckwear is almost complete. All that’s left is the cherry topping the cake, the entering the final approach for a landing, or the “you may now kiss the bride” of a wedding. Right now, the tie is in perfect shape except for one minor detail: it’s completely inside out. And according to our resident master, Tim, this is where all the fun happens. The inverted tie goes into this special machine that sucks it up and spits it back out right side up. Just like Mav and Goose when they entered the 4G dive with the MiG28 inverted at a range of about 1 and a half meters. Sure they went into the encounter upside down, but they came out of it in perfect shape and were able to “keep up foreign relations” at the same time. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Step 4: Raaahdgaahs' Discount Double Check

After this tie flip flopping machine completes its duty, the tie is just about ready to hit the market! Tim explained that the final step is one that Brooks Brothers takes seriously: quality control. Although there are quality checks after each step, this final one seemed the most important to me. During this step, the double B examines all ties to make sure each and every neckpiece passes their detailed eyes and are worthy of going out into the world to represent the Golden Fleece to the best of its ability.

Although I do not actually own any Brooks Brothers clothing, after hearing Tim draw upon the detail that goes into creating these Made in the USA ties, I wish I had just one. I’d wear it with pride and tell the entire story of its birth to all passersby. No one would be safe. Not the angry, drunk man sitting next to me on the subway, not the thick-bearded street meat vendor, and especially not the impatient man sprinting through block after block to make his train that leaves in 2 ½ minutes. Sorry, sir, I know you have 4 more blocks to go, but I really think you’d appreciate the story of how my tie was made; I only need 10 minutes of your time. I imagine I’d make his day because now we're all full of some more fun facts to impress everyone with.