My response to Ray Smith’s Wall Street Journal article (read it here) about the Men’s Dress Furnishings Association yesterday, a blog titled “What Will it Take to Get Marty Staff to Wear a Tie?” generated its own set of responses.

Richard Arutunian, the MDFA’s former historian, sent me an e-mail saying, “The two neckwear manufacturer's comments were to me also very appalling. They have the wrong attitude. ... You’re correct when you stated that what the neckwear business needs is more good press.”

For the record, JA Apparel CEO Marty Staff loves ties. Here’s the letter he sent us:

Wow! I never appreciated the fact that what I wear is noticed or appreciated (or not appreciated).

The WSJ story was accurate, but omitted several additional comments I made:

I love neckwear, and have been involved with neckwear for more than 30 years. The company I own designs, makes, and sells neckwear to the best stores in America, and we are a longstanding successful company in the space.

America however has changed. 50% of American men in this year never or rarely wear a suit! Being rich is defined not just by having money, but also by having time and having freedom. How you dress is part of being free!

In a manner identical to the U.S. auto industry, neckwear has lost sight of the consumer. American cars didn’t have the style and purpose consumers wanted, and consumers went elsewhere. The U.S. auto industry is now attempting to regain what it lost. There was an unbecoming sense of entitlement in the auto industry...consumers were expected to buy whatever Ford, GM, and Chrysler made. Well, they didn’t.

That’s what’s happening with neckwear.

In a casual culture, neckwear has evolved to be a fashion accessory identical to pocket squares, spring scarves, eyewear, Ipod and Iphone cases, umbrellas, etc. Neckwear expresses something about the individual. It is no longer simply a part of a uniform. In particular men 22 to 30 know they need to dress up, but demand that what they wear expresses something about them.

Wearing thin ties, colorful ties, wide ties, very formal ties, bow ties, etc is cool. Wearing thin ties with a denim shirt (a la J Crew), or wearing an amazing silk faille tie with a formal pinstripe suit is very cool. Wearing a dress shirt in a sporty way, and wearing a sport shirt in a dressy was, is cool.

What’s not cool is assuming a uniform with a tie is necessary.

If you visit Bergdorfs you’ll see neckwear in an inspiring way. If you look at the king of neckwear, Ralph Lauren, and see his Purple Label ties, you’ll be inspired. If you see J. Crew thin rep ties you’ll be inspired. We simply need more inspiration in order to win in this category.

What it will take for neckwear to regain its stature in the marketplace is for men to wear neckwear out of desire and not obligation.

Harry, I’m in and I’m trying, and my neckwear business is pretty good.

The apparel business is like a great white shark…if you’re not moving forward, you’re sinking. You can’t stand still.

Marty Staff, JA Apparel

Well said. Staff is fair and optimistic.

David Katz of Randa, one of the largest remaining neckwear companies, says that with all the consolidation on both the vendor side and the retailer side in the neckwear business, “there is no longer a compelling need for the [MDFA].”

However, he’s adamant that the neckwear business is still very much alive: “don’t confuse evolution with extinction,” he writes. Here’s his letter to us in its entirety:

According to Ray Smith of the Wall Street Journal “Many American men stopped wearing ties years ago. Now, even tie guys are giving up on them.” Cute pull quote. However, it is totally inaccurate. As a leader in neckwear, conducting business on six continents since 1935, Randa has an expert and valid perspective on this issue; which is more than can be said of some of the references used in the Journal article. And… the facts do not support Ray’s statement.

First, don’t confuse evolution with extinction. The impetus for his article was the closing of the Men’s Dress Furnishing Association after 60 years. 20 years ago there were over 120 neckwear companies that belonged to the council selling to thousands of retailers nationwide. At that time the business was fragmented and many smaller companies created innovative products and distributed them regionally. Today, two neckwear companies conduct nearly 70% of the business – Randa is one of these. And, the number of retailers has also decreased dramatically – see Macy’s consolidation alone for one major example. Therefore, there is no longer a compelling need for the association.

Consumer wearing occasions and sentiments for neckwear have evolved over time, as have all fashion accessories. In fact the sales of handbags, cited as the fastest growing product in the fashion industry, have slowed, as have virtually all retail sales. No one is playing a funeral dirge for that classification. As peripherally mention by the Journal, the market for neckwear in the young men’s classification has actually increased over recent years. Significantly, one should note the increased assortment of neckwear at J. Crew, Urban Outfitters, and Express. The trend toward casual workplace dress has been reversing; USA Today states that “the number of employers allowing casual dress days every day has plunged from 53% in 2002 to a new low of 38%.”

Randa is pleased to lead the neckwear business into a new era of success. To paraphrase Mark Twain, “the rumors of neckwear death have been greatly exaggerated.”

David Katz, Randa Accessories

This, too, is encouraging.

I got a nice note from XMI's Bert Pulitzer, who pointed out how few men today actually know how to knot a tie:

While I am not a stalwart that says ties or nothing, I have been designing them all my life.

Mario of the Seattle store of the same name, called on Bill Gates and showed him how to knot a tie. Over time, I have realized that many men were never mentored in how the wear them no less how to tie them.

When I or mostly our sales people do in-store presentations, we see many times that tying a tie can be somewhat daunting to many men both young and some older.

When I see the tie-less suit wearer it reminds me of the Nehru years, cool for now.

If suits are going to continue to exist they will need it's natural counter part eventually. Many times when a man says "this tie is choking me" it is rather the shirt collar that is too small. A man would have to wrench the tie tight in order for it to "choke him into a migraine."

There have also been the times that my wife and I have been bumped up to first class. Simply because I was wearing a blazer and tie and she was well dressed in women's casual modern.

My words are only to address time and taste, we'll see?

Bert Pulitzer, XMI

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