Since ties have the power to
elevate even the most basic shirt to a look of distinction, we have a devotion
to crafting them well. This essay, which appeared in our Summer 1992 Lands'
End for Men catalog, takes us to the Lake Como district in northern
Italy where many of the world's finest silks are woven and printed (including
the fabrics for most of our silk ties)... then on to an American factory
where our ties are meticulously handsewn.
Como Silks
A reverence for silk and anything
to do with its enrichment pervades the province and town of Como, Italy.
It has been so for hundreds of years. A reverence so deep one would think
it was an Italian, not a Chinese, who discovered this noblest of threads.
It is fitting that the people
of Como feel as they do about silk. Their ancestors were silkworkers in
the 13th-century. Sericulturists who did it all. Bred the silkworms and
grew mulberry trees to feed them their leaves. Heat treated their cocoons
to remove the rubbery sericin. Painstakingly extracted the silk thread.
Then disentagled, wound, classified, temporarily colored, washed and,
finally, rewound it into skeins of thread.
And their expertise in the
converting of raw silk filaments to a fabric of unmatched softness and
fineness steadily grew. Through trial and error and, oftentimes, sheer
genius they extracted the secrets of silk. And with each hardgained bit
of knowledge, they kept inventing and modifying the tools they needed
to best bring silk's exceptional qualities to fruition.
In due course the artisans
of Como established themselves as the master spinners, weavers, dyers,
designers, printers and finishers — the world's most respected "enoblers"
— of the queen of fabrics.
Como is still the artist
of transformation.
So Lands' End goes to Como for
its silk fabric. For it is there that the artistry of the fathers has
been passed from generation to generation. "It is in the blood —
the genes!" one Como craftsman told us. "And there is the light. Our light
is exquisite. Unique. It too is in our blood."
Yes, there is a special light
— and enlightenment — in Como. That frees the creative spirit.
Adds impetus to the genius to invent and match colors, shapes and lines.
While maintaining an almost sacred respect for the intrinsic beauty of
silk.
Creators not copiers.
We could go to other mills in
the world. If (and it's a big "if") all we wanted were cookiecutter copies
of designs. But, we don't. We deal with Como people because their interest
and inimitable expertise is in creating. Not copying. We go to Como where
collaboration between us and their designers is welcomed and expected.
Where we can plant a seed of a new fabric idea and see a whole crop of
wonderfully amplified executions in a matter of days — sometimes
hours. Energies ignite in Como. We like that.
The proof is in the printing.
And in the weaving, dyeing and
finishing. Each being an integral part of the long journey raw silk must
take to become the beautiful cloth which best exalts its natural qualities.
Space is limited, however, so we're focusing on printing this trip. A
process rooted in ancient systems that took advantage of silk's extraordinary
ability to absorb color.
In Como, the most common technique
is screen-printing, invented in Japan and improved in Lyons, France in
1925. This fairly complicated method permits imprinting of very fine shapes
and intricate designs.
Test patterns ("strike-offs")
take two master printers. First, they place the undyed silk onto a long
table. Then, standing on opposite sides, they position a specially engraved
screen over the silk. After pouring the appropriate color onto the screen
they slowly, evenly squeegee the color through the full length of the
screen.Voilá! A single color of the design has been applied.
It's a very time-consuming
effort. Each color must dry before another is utilized. The process is
repeated — again and again — using different screens, different
colors until...the pattern has fully formed.
An average four-color tie takes
many hours for completion. But we think our vibrant colors and intricate
patterns are worth it.
Onto the printing line.
Once we accept a hand struck
pattern, our yardage of silk fabric is either run under a network of screens
arranged along the printing line — adding a new color per screen
— or, remains stationary and a single screen moves over it. Eventually,
all the colors are fixed, the fabric is ironed perfectly and inspected
and shipped to our tailors for sewing into ties.
We choose premier tie sewers.
USA manufacturers who handsew
our ties meticulously. Who cut our fabric on the bias for maximum resiliency.
Use firm, wrinkle-resistant linings. Carefully hand-press seams and tips
— then the whole tie so edges roll nicely, don't crease. They slip-stitch
all seams by hand. Hand wrap bartacks on both ends. Sew our "keepers"
so they stay on. Only 10% of the world's ties are sewn to this degree.
"And it shows."
Well, there you have it. A
little insight into the craftsmanship of our manufacturers in the USA,
our mills in Como, Italy. We prize their dedication to their tasks. They
are truly Lands' End kind of people.
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