The Joys of The Hermès Tie

When it comes to designer ties, many come close, but none quite compare to the offerings from the French luxury brand Hermès. Like Rolex for watches or Montblanc for pens, Hermès ties are an iconic accessory that exudes timeless sophistication and status. Let's explore what makes Hermès ties so special and whether they are worth the investment.

A Symbol of Luxury
Regarded as the highest-end luxury brand on the planet, you can imagine Hermès ties would command a high price - at the time of writing, a tie from Hermès would set you back £215 to £220, which is quite the investment for an accessory that does not even have a functional purpose. All Hermès ties are hand-made from silk in France, the home country of the maison. The ties are crafted meticulously with every detail in mind, straight down to the angle of the twill on the inside and out.

Playful Parisian Charm
With a vast selection of patterns and colours to choose from, Hermès will have a tie for you. The brand has produced countless designs, with more being released every season: once you fall in love with these ties, you will have to resist the temptation to buy yourself a full collection. Hermès ties are renowned for their whimsical prints featuring the H logo, motifs inspired by their equestrian heritage, animals, and more. These ties can be recognised by a small repeated pattern that goes throughout the tie and the subtle placement of the brand's logo on the tail of the tie. Every Hermès tie has its own identifying design number on its tail too, which is helpful when identifying counterfeits, which there are many of.

Fully suited, enjoying the understated sophistication of my Hermès tie

Spotting The Fakes
With the reputation of being the most sought-after ties on the planet, running into a counterfeit is no challenge with these accessories: in fact, Hermès ties are the most faked ties in the world. Luckily, the brand's attention to detail sets their ties apart from all the copies on the market. The easiest way to distinguish an authentic Hermès tie is to look at the label on the back. Genuine Hermès ties will feature the brand's horse and carriage logo along with '100% silk' and 'DRY CLEAN ONLY' and nothing more, whereas counterfeits typically say 'HERMÈS PARIS' on this label. The tail of the tie is another easy indicator: the logo here will say the brand name and will be printed on the tie, not stuck on. In addition to this, the other side of the tail will have a code which corresponds to the design of the tie as well as 'Made in France' printed.

That will get you past 90% of the fakes; however, counterfeiters are getting smarter by the day. So here is the advanced guide on Hermès tie spotting.

Look at the Twill Direction
The twill on a genuine Hermès tie will go from 11 o'clock to 5 o'clock for the main tie, and the inside lining will feature a twill direction going from 8 o'clock to 2 o'clock.  Furthermore, the lining of a genuine tie will be a solid colour similar to that of the main tie. This is likely the most reliable way to determine whether your Hermès tie is authentic, as the fakes do not possess the same level of attention to detail as Hermès' products.

Width
The width of the tie is another thing that Hermès is pretty consistent with in their ties, with most of them being 8cm wide, and some designs being 7cm wide.

The Inside Crease
On the inside of a genuine Hermès tie, there will be a small crease which only becomes visible when you partially unfold the tie. Please see the image below.

The best way to avoid counterfeit Hermès ties is to purchase directly from Hermès. Second-hand Hermès ties from eBay and other places can also be a good option, although fakes are very common on these platforms. If you choose to get a second-hand Hermès tie, be sure to refer to this guide before hitting the buy button to avoid any disappointment.

Hermès ties are truly more than a strip of silk, with their tasteful charm and subtle yet iconic status. Whether you wish to elevate a business suit or add some fun to your formal attire, investing in one of these pieces manifests power and control, letting others know you understand that small details count.

What do you think? Are Hermès ties worth the investment? Let me know in the comments.
For more on ties and other accessories, purchase The Art of Style today.