Product Review - General Knot

Craig of That Dapper Chap reviews neckwear available from General Knot & Co

PRODUCT

General Knot & Co neckwear and accessories are designed in Bedford, New York & made exclusively in the United States.

The guys at General Knot & Co say "We create limited edition neckwear and accessories in the U.S.A., using rare and vintage fabrics collected from around the world. Our goal is to offer uniquely designed and enduring products that stand the test of time"

After years of directing creative teams for brands such as Ralph Lauren, Original Penguin, Tommy Hilfiger and Levi’s, co-founders Ann and Andrew Payne began General Knot & Co. in the Autumn of 2010 with the desire to combine a passion for design with an unyielding commitment to bringing conscientious quality manufacturing back to the United States.

The say "It is an honor and a privilege to create all GK&Co. products here in the United States, with the world’s greatest craftsmen. Those whose talents and skills have been honed through generations of shared adoration of their craft"

The GK&Co fabrics are curated through a global network of collectors who search high and low for the most amazing vintage fabric, giving it another lease on life.

Each collection of General Knot & Co. designs are made in very limited quantities, uniquely finite and never to be repeated. They hope that you enjoy them as much as they have enjoyed creating and bringing them to you.

PRICE

At between £45.00 ($68.00) and £70.00 ($108.00) for a bow tie/tie I can't tell you that these are a budget garment. They are at the higher end of the price scale, but for that price you are getting something very limited and crafted by individuals with a real passion for what they do, rather than a mass produced tie that you're going to see on another guy at some point.
The fabrics are all vintage, they are unusual, and the majority of their ties and bow ties have contrasting fabrics, or are double sided making them very unique and versatile.

My two General Knot & Co bow ties

PACKAGING & PRESENTATION

The items arrived quickly and were nicely packed in a box and wrapped with tissue paper.

In addition, each tie has its own vintage style card sleeve detailing the product information and its limited edition number. This is a nice touch and again reinforces the fact that these items are crafted with love and care.

My ties, neatly packed in their card sleeves

My GK&Co bow tie, styled with a beige suit

The light jade pickstitch wool neck tie

PERFORMANCE

What does a guy want from a tie? You want it to look good. Check. You want it to tie well. Check. and you want it to stay in place. Check.

All of the ties I received covered all of these requirements. They were all well made with no snags or loose threads and were all the correct size expected from a tie or bow tie, the bow ties of course being fully adjustable.

The 1970's carpetbagger neck tie $108.00

These are vintage fabrics and to some degree you could expect to find damage, maybe even the odd smell. I can assure you that I experienced neither of these with any of the items that I received. Please buy with confidence that the guys a GK&Co. take what they do very serious and are committed to quality.

Wearing my beige suit with a double sided GK&Co. bow tie

PERTINENCY

If you like the idea of wearing something from a unique family company and supporting everything that that means, check out General Knot & Co. 

If you are a gentleman who also enjoys the thought that your new tie has had a life before it reached you, and that you're helping the world you live in by recycling and reusing discarded items, then you should check out General Knot & Co. too.

If on the flip side you're a guy that wants a standard garment and something off the shelf that has not been anything else in an unknown previous life (I know that some people find this icky)  then maybe you should stick to the high street.

The light Jade pickstitch bow tie $78.00

The 1970's Kaleidoscope tie $108.00

PRO'S & CON'S

I genuinely love the fact that these ties have history and a soul, that they were something else before it happened upon my neck. I respect the fact that GK&Co. are recycling and doing their thing for our environment too. I also very much appreciate the individuality of each item and its limited number.

On the more negative side, I do feel that the price is a little on the high side. Lowering the price will make these products more accessible to a wider audience and one that appreciates this concept.

A closer look at my limited edition bow tie

PEOPLE

The team really liked these ties. They liked the seasonal fabrics and tones and the very individual looks. With comments like "I've never seen anything like this one before" and "I like that they are double sided" 

The were a little taken back by the price but one member of the team did comment "well you get what you pay for, if you want a cheap boring tie, go to xxxxx"

One member of the team was put off by the fact that the fabrics are vintage and didn't like the thought of not knowing where the fabric had been and who had owned it. While I don't subscribe to this view myself, I do understand that it's an issue for some people.

The jade pickstitch neck tie 

PRÉCIS

Overall, I'm a fan. The use of vintage fabrics is a great USP. The choice and attention to detail is very good and I felt good when wearing them in the knowledge that I was never going to bump into another guy wearing the same tie.

The Potomac reversible floral bow tie $68.00

Find General Knot & Co

    

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An Evening With Shaun Gordon Tie maker

That Dapper Chap takes us to an evening with master tie maker Shaun Gordon who launches his latest collection of limited edition ties

A portrait of Shaun for the collection by Bart Pajak

About Shaun Gordon

Shaun Gordon is a striking character and after seeing images of him on Instagram I was an instant fan. After graduating from The London College of Fashion in 2004, he focussed his attentions on design and has work with some great brands including Henri Lloyd and Timberland. 

I was therefore very pleased to receive an invitation to attend an evening in London to view his new collection of unique ties. Not only was I treated to the new collection but Shoeshine UK was there to shine the guests shoes but the Pall Mall Barbers were also in attendance to give out complimentary certificates for haircuts.

That Dapper Chap and The Tie maker

Aside from designing his own collections, Shaun has also consulted on bespoke products for Knightsbridge tailor Edward Sexton, and his own self-named brand has continued to grow alongside the demand for British-made luxury goods, and is sold in Savile Row by world-renowned bespoke tailor Steven Hitchcock.

Guests arrive at Breese Little to meet the man himself

Myself and a dapper Michael aka TinTinfellow

The Collection

Arriving at the venue I was immediately met by another avid Instagrammer, tintinfellow (above), who I have had a virtual friendship with since I set up my Instagram account two years ago, and it was great to finally meet him and the other incredibly interesting people at the event.

More of Shauns exceptional ties

The 'Ernest' £98.00
Photography by Bart Pajak

The collection of limited edition ties

Shaun arrived just the fashionably amount of late, and was nothing less than absolutely charming a perfectly attired. He took his time and showed us around the collection. 

I asked Shaun what the inspiration was behind this new collection, as he sipped on a tumbler of Jura Whisky (a sponsor of the event) he told me: "This collection is about appreciating individuality and each persons own unique style and personality. I wanted to create a range, which reflects this in a personal way to myself. Therefore, I selected fabrics in the UK which triggered memories of personal experiences"

He continues "Once the fabric is transformed into a tie, the memory is captured and each tie now has it's own story to tell. These stories reflect the individuality that each person can bring to the same piece through an expression of their own style"

Shaun, greeting his guests

Tom of The Jaunty Flaneur and Instagrams TinTinFellow

The stylish and fashionable turn
out to see the collection

He goes on to say "To capture the concept further, I developed new labels which documents the number of ties made from a particular fabric. Such as "No.3 of 5" hand written, which goes hand in hand with the tie being hand made. This will also remind the wearer that they are wearing a limited edition tie"

I asked Shaun which his favourite piece is from the new collection "Thats a tough one" he says "I think it would have to be the Hamilton tie because of the memory I have of being ten years old playing leaves fights with my friends at school and I love the colour too"

A selection of the limited edition handmade ties

The 'Hamilton' £98.00
Shauns personal favourite

The 'Oscar' £98.00
Photography by Bart Pajak

As the wine and Jura Whisky flowed and guests made approving noises while they stroked the lovingly displayed ties, Shaun told me "Living in a highly judgemental world, the expression of individual style shows courage, but also gives the chance for those brave enough to be heard above the noise of the masses"  This is something I am passionate about too and I wholeheartedly agree with Shaun and his outlook on self expression.

Myself, Mikhail of La Bowtique and Mr Gordon

The 'Ernest' tie. £98.0
My personal favorite
and the largest edition of 12 pieces

The 'Elroy' £98.00
Photography by Bark Pajak

More of Shauns unique collection

The 'Harold' £98.00

Guests enjoy a whisky and a chat while browsing the collection

Conclusion

I can't deny that I thoroughly enjoyed the evening, meeting people that I'd only ever seen before in a one dimensional image in an instagram post on my iPad, and of course meeting Shaun and seeing his new collection. 

I'm a fan of the collection, not only because of the fact that the ties are handmade with each quality fabric being personally chosen by Shaun, but because of what the collection represents and the

recognition of the individual. It's the nod to the gentleman who wants something different, who isnt afraid to stand out and share his unique style with the rest of the world. This is what fashion is all about for me and it's clear that Shaun feels the same.

Find Shaun Gordon