Drake's London was founded in 1977 by Michael Drake and two partners, who had previously worked at British clothing brand Aquascutum, where they knew how to make and style clothes. Starting out as a premium men's scarf, the brand has grown to produce handmade ties and printed silk handkerchiefs and is now the UK's largest independent handmade tie seller. After Mr. Drake's retirement in 2010, the brand was acquired by its chief designer Michael Hill and Mark Cho, one of the founders of Hong Kong-based men's clothing store The Armoury.
 
Drake's is a revolutionary brand, the traditional English bow tie is usually to complete the harmony of the outfit with the suit, often understated and unpretentious, which is almost the exact opposite of the Italian style. But Drake's believes that Britain should not only represent the dark winter of wool suits, top hats and umbrellas, but also summer activities such as gateball, swimming pools and picnics, so they have printed various elements into colorful patterns on the tie to form a unique design style.
 
Drake's, which combines British elegance with fashion, was an instant hit, winning the Queen's Award for Export and the UK Fashion Export Gold Award. Drake's customized a series of exquisite ties for the movie "Ace Agent" to open its popularity in China, and has also launched a series of collaborations with fashion brands such as J.Crew and Rei Kawakubo, but there are no channels to buy them in China at present.
 
Unlike Italian brands, which like to make retro luxury seven-fold ties, Drake's neckties are generally in the form of ordinary three-fold ties, which can be adapted to more styles and are more versatile. Silk and mesh are the most commonly used fabrics, and according to different processes, they can be divided into knitting, weaving, printing, jacquard, etc., and the styles are extremely rich. The silk fabric used by Drake's is much thicker than the Italian tie, and the inner lining will be sewn to increase the thickness and weight, and the experienced master will choose the material and thickness of the lining according to the characteristics of the fabric, and the lined tie is more elastic and hard, and it is easier to operate when knotting, but it will not be stiff and rigid. Drake's wide silk tie is best suited for an elegant English Windsor knot.
 
Drake's must-see is a tie made of Grenadine, a material inspired by the fabrics that were popular in England in the thirties of the twentieth century, and is made of high-twist silk threads with an intricate weave. Because of the use of solid color silk thread, at first glance it looks similar to ordinary cotton yarn, but with a faint silky luster, and its texture is even more regular and exquisite. The biggest difference between Drake's mesh material and common knitted fabrics on the market is the fineness of the silk thread, due to the use of high-twist silk thread, the mesh fabric is very thin, and the light can be clearly transmitted between the textures, but no lining is added, which is very suitable for summer with a fresh color casual suit, and it will not look inconsistent with a single shirt and polo matching. In addition to silk, the knitting material can also use cotton and linen and other yarns, the thread is thicker, the fabric is thicker, and the style is more retro.
 
Drake's bow tie selection is also very rich, unlike other brands that offer shaped bow ties, its bow ties are mostly unknotted, and you need to arrange your own bow ties when wearing them, which requires certain bow tie skills. However, in addition to the usual bow tie, Drake's also offers a diamond knot with a more delicate collar and a straight knot for a slender face. The bow tie is not only suitable for a casual banquet with a suit shirt, but also an irreplaceable presence with a delicate and gorgeous French lace shirt and tuxedo for a grand occasion.
 
Drake's products are currently difficult to buy in China and can be purchased through the official website and overseas buyer e-commerce platforms, ranging from £95 to £145 per tie and about 115 pounds per bow tie.