Real Ancient Madder Silk Fabric for (Bow) Ties + Pocket Squares Explained

About this video

The Gazette team explores the history, production, and appeal of madder silk ties, tracing the natural dye from ancient times through its prominence in Ivy League style. They explain the distinctive dyeing process that creates madder silk’s characteristic rich colors and chalky texture, and discuss how to wear madder ties as part of a refined menswear wardrobe.

Key takeaways

• The Gazette team explains that madder dye comes from the rubia tinctorum plant and has been used since 1500 BCE, becoming a staple of Ivy style ties in the 1930s
• The Gazette team notes that authentic madder silk ties are produced through a complex multi-step screen printing process on twill silk treated with gum arabic, creating a distinctive chalk hand finish and rich, saturated colors
• The Gazette team recommends pairing madder silk ties with heavier textured fabrics like tweed and camel hair for an Ivy-inspired look, and suggests they work particularly well in fall outfits

Episode details: published August 5, 2019 · 20K views · 10:30 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The style guidance summarized here is the Gentleman’s Gazette team’s own teaching and opinion, presented for education; product recommendations are theirs, not ours. Summaries are written by Self Growth Videos from each video itself.

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