Aside from a watch, a necktie is the only other accessory that, depending on the occasion or venue, can add interest to a man’s outfit. For something so small, this piece of fabric certainly attracts more than its fair share of attention.
If you’re a savvy traveler looking to add a pop of color to your wardrobe, look no further than the shops at Helsinki Airport. Josephine Suopajarvi, manager of the BOSS Store (Terminal 2, Gate 27), says that the elegant ties offered by the German fashion label are crafted from finely woven fabrics.
“Neckties in shades of blue are the most popular with our clients. These are silk, and made in Italy,” she says, pointing to a selection organized on a lacquer tray.
The sales assistants at the BOSS store are always more than happy to share tips on how to choose and mix colors, patterns and textures
Businessmen, the store’s main clients, tend to go for tailored and timeless styles. “We have thin and wide versions ranging in width from 6.5 to 7.5 cm,” adds Suopajarvi. While men’s shirt and tie combinations can prove to be tricky, the sales assistants at the BOSS store are always more than happy to share tips on how to choose and mix colors, patterns and textures, and crucially, how to tie a necktie.
Jan Koskinen at Salvatore Ferragamo (Gate 24), meanwhile, says that most of their customers purchase neckties as souvenirs or gifts. He says that these Italian made accessories are a favorite among Asian travelers. Sales are especially brisk during the summer months.
Kept at a classic width, Ferragamo’s foulard ties have prints that appear to be abstract geometric patterns when viewed from a distance. Up close, however, they reveal themselves to be interlocking, symmetrical repetitions of whimsical tiny animals or objects, such as elephants or horseshoes. While this type of necktie never goes out of style, it pays to remember one thing: the lower the color contrast, the more restrained the tie will look.
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