Temporary crisis or change of tastes?
There is a big question around one of the best-known symbols of classic well-dressed, of Italian tailoring, an inevitable piece of the male wardrobe: the tie.
Something has changed (or is changing), first the streetwear and sportswear boom, then the pandemic, the fact is that the consumption of ties has collapsed.
According to the data released by Sistema Moda Italia for Pitti uomo 100, which closes today in Florence, the segment (which represents about 1.3% of men's fashion) has become the black jersey of the sector: in the calendar year 2020 the sell- out of ties recorded a drop of -50%. If the export of the men's sector has dropped by -16.5%, the foreign sales of ties have suffered a contraction of -42.7% (to be understood, the shirt industry has dropped by -23.2%), the it fell by -42.4%. If in the first months of 2021 exports for some sectors have restarted, for the ties segment the data is always negative: in the January-March period the drop was -35.4%. Of course the months of lockdown, with the relative change in the way of dressing, did not help,but the companies in the sector are convinced that what awaits us is simply a new way of dressing in a tie.
It will not disappear, but will only be offered in more options, depending on the occasion and for SS 22 the rules are color and lightness.
"The tie is part of the world of the classic and of the Italian tradition of well-dressed, missing real life for a year there has been a decline - says Silvio Tombolini, Tombolini marketing and commercial director -, this does not mean that the tie will disappear. , we who produce the classic need a tie, especially in ceremonies ". But what will the tie of the future be like then? It depends on the occasion.
"The daytime tie is changing, it must be lighter and lighter - continues Tombolini -. With our Zero Gravity philosophy we have also proposed a very soft and very light tie, using light wools, deconstructed models. Instead in ceremonies and classic formal, in a business meeting, it is necessary to have a tie with traditional measures ". And with the restart of the ceremonies, there are already signs of recovery. "We have already seen a change - he says - there is a demand for colored ties, combined with the waistcoat.
We also have positive signs for September. "On the same wavelength Filippo Ricci, creative director of Stefano Ricci, who achieved international success many years ago with ties." The tie is an emotional purchase - he explains -, many they collect, it is linked to the mood you have when you choose it. It is an article that we will never abandon, it represents the brand's DNA. It needs to be reinterpreted and revised, there is a need for color and lightness. "Those most requested for SS22 are in yarn-dyed or knitted printed silk. And they are worn with formal looks, perhaps with sneakers on.
"Many people can't wait to get back to dressing up for more formal meetings, in fact sports jackets have already started to sell again - continues Ricci -. We are preparing for the return of the classic, it will not be the classic as before but reinterpreted with more modern touches" . (HANDLE).
