Recently, I have had colors on my mind as I planned our August grenadine silks. Film Noir Buff was kind enough to add  the following comments which I have copied and pasted:


"White? I guess with a blue or grey chambray shirt and a blue or grey respectively seersucker suit? Interesting.
Incidentally, the art of a good grenadine is in how it's lined. I have a few from paul Stuart from years ago that are lined very well but very thinly and tie a tight, crisp, elegant (and scrunchable) knot with a good dimple almost like a charvet woven tie. The old sulka grenadines were similar as were some of the Richel grenadines (being Spanish they seem to really understand the weave) ive seen a lot of grenadines which tie a clunky, sloppy knot."   


As always I appreciate Film Noir's thoughts and ideas which I have quoted above.

I tend to go back and forth between sometime really different that I like such as mudmee silks for ties and pocket squares and something really classic like striped rep ties that could easily fit in 50 years ago in Brooks Brothers.

With our current grenadine silks, it is obvious that we would go with the classic navy, black, green and red. What is not so obvious is as Film Noir Buff observed our choice of white and some of the brighter uncommon colors for grenadine silks.

I guess I am going through a slightly creative summer and while I am not going traveling for a while (six-month old daughter...) I love to spend time at our home in the Luberons. And for those who have spent time in the south of France they will remember the bold use of bright colors.

Now that I have covered my thoughts on colors, on to interlinings.

First, when dealing with grenadine silks there are two basic types: Garza Grossa (which we are working with), and Garza Fine which is a looser more delicate weave.

Now the most important part of the interlining is what it is made of. Almost all ties made in America do not use pure wool. Our ties and the best European ties use pure combed Italian wool. Here and there you may find interlining wool from England or elsewhere, but for all practical purposes Italian interlining wool is the best.

With ready-made ties the knot may or may not be what you want, however, with bespoke ties in general the maker is going to use a "springy" wool and be certain that the wool and silk match well.

Of course some clients will want an interlining that makes the type of knot that they like, and that is fine as long as they are happy.

The "Garza Grossa" grenadine does very well with an 11.3 oz interlining wool. In a three-fold construction it drapes well, and with a six-fold construction it is wonderful.