# Hermes ties



## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

Enlighten me. I really like some of their designs but are Hermes ties really worth the price you pay? I understand this is a relative question. Also, does anyone know when/where to score a deal on a Hermes tie?
Regards.
rbstc123


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## Bob Loblaw (Mar 9, 2006)

I used to like them - but their designs are often too self-aggrandizing with trademark logos and motiffs built around the letter "H". I turned to Charvet for more understated ties. Leonard ties makes some good quality whimsical ties that don't scream the brand to all.


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## MoosicPa (Jan 30, 2008)

I've never been a fan of Hermes ties, too bust for my taste. I prefer a solid or rep/striped tie.


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## Beachcomber (Apr 6, 2008)

They certainly are the classic print tie just like Lacoste is the classic logo shirt. They are a bit narrow and don't dimple well, but are definitely a quality tie. Get one for your collection, just avoid the vulgar ones that have the H or intertwined stirrup. They can be found on eBay, but I would not want one from there. I think you can find them at some discount in duty free stores or on airplanes.


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## pt4u67 (Apr 27, 2006)

rbstc123 said:


> Enlighten me. I really like some of their designs but are Hermes ties really worth the price you pay? I understand this is a relative question. Also, does anyone know when/where to score a deal on a Hermes tie?
> Regards.
> rbstc123


Try this ebay merchant.


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## cdavant (Aug 28, 2005)

You can find a lot on eBay. I always look for lots before Christmas--as in 3/4 tie lots, for Christmas gifts for my brothers-in-law. Surely, no one would sell knock-offs during the holidays and the fact that they are shipped from China probably reflects exchange rates...

Even 100% feedback is no help here. I'm happy to have the label for $25-30. My relatives can't tell the difference, and, hey, they just might be real.

Spend $100 on a tie and you'll have soup spots on it all too soon. I have half-a-dozen "Hermes" I'd trade for a single Sam Hober in a heartbeat.


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

*Thank you*



pt4u67 said:


> Try this ebay merchant.


Thanks for the link. Reputable seller I assume?


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## HISMES PARIS (Mar 26, 2008)

I love them, but again it's all opinion. Some Neiman Marcus stores (the one I went to was in Fashion Valley) discount them for $80 or so at the end of the season. I do think they dimple well, and I love the prints, but ties are a very personal choice. Also check out Ferragamo if you like Hermes; very similar patterns.


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## Kav (Jun 19, 2005)

Hermes ties are like old british sportscars. 100 people will warn you off with stories to quiet naughty children at night; Lucas lord of darkness, syncronising SU carbs etc. Or, they make pilgrimages to restoration companies to renew worn out inferior Lucas parts with lovingly replicated Lucas inferior parts. In any case, most people buy the old MG midget and either flogg it off on somebody after a few seasons or paint it black and imagine the old VW bus in traffic is a DO 17 'Pencil bomber' and the MG a Bolton-Paul Defiant night fighter. Sometimes you just have to get something out of your system- or in it. My one Hermes makes a croissant knot. It is worn July 14 when, by some accounts one Kavanagh helped lead the storming of the Bastille to liberate two more maniacs. I wear it whenever my friend invites me up in his french MS 502 Criquet, a copy of the WW2 german Feiseler Storch. Drape is not an issue, but it's ready ability to tell me wind direction ( stall speed @ 32 MPH) is. It's great for reading le Petit Prince to children, an exhibition of Impressionist art or a concert featuring Ravel. It's a 'fun' tie, which after all is what dressing well is all about.


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## video2 (Feb 11, 2008)

Two years ago I bought few things in Zurich airport dutyfree. First impression about belts ties was very strong, but now I think that Hermes is nothing special.


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## Toronto_sartorialist (Apr 5, 2008)

I think non-geometric patterned ties like Hermes or Ferragamo (or classic Versace) are difficult to piece together as part of an outfit. A tie like that usually must be the centre-piece of the outfit. If you want a conservative look with a bit of punch in the tie, you can go with a Hermes tie. You'lll usually see business-types wearing a hermes tie with navy suit and white shirt. 

However if you want to put together an outfit that actually combines all elements of the the suit, tie, shirt, pocjet-square etc, a non-geomteric patterned tie such as Hermes isn't a good idea. I read a quote from Ralph Lauren to the effect that he couldn't "relate" to patterned ties (query why some of his Purple Label feature paisley patterns).

As for the quality, I once picked a nice Hermes brochure that featured the tie-making process quality in great detail. I guess you will pay for french workmanship. In general, I think the brand is over-priced as are other many of the french labels (e.g Lanvin). I also dont like the knots that the ties form. I find the tie is narrow and therefore doesnt make the more triangular shaped knot that I prefer.


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## pt4u67 (Apr 27, 2006)

rbstc123 said:


> Thanks for the link. Reputable seller I assume?


His merchandise is authentic.


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## jimbob (Jun 24, 2006)

I will be spending a few weeks in San Francisco and would like to look at these 
ties. They are not available in Pittsburgh so I use my family visits to SF to shop.


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## M6Classic (Feb 15, 2008)

rbstc123 said:


> Enlighten me. I really like some of their designs but are Hermes ties really worth the price you pay? I understand this is a relative question. Also, does anyone know when/where to score a deal on a Hermes tie?
> Regards.
> rbstc123


Generally, I find the Hermes designs to be way too fussy for my taste in four-in-hand ties and I find them way too expensive for my wallet. However, I have acquired for nothing...or nearly so...some old and stained Hermes ties which I have had converted by BeauTies of Vermont into...you guessed it...bow ties for $32 each. The fussy little designs of Hermes ties to my eye are much better suited to the proportions of a bow.

Buzz


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## liang7079 (Apr 22, 2008)

There are actually lots of Hermes ties that are quite classic and without the loud motives or the self-promoting H. It's always best to go into a boutique and see them in the real things as what you can see on ebay is a very small portion of what they actually make.
Now if they can stop inflating the prices....


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## Khnelben (Feb 18, 2005)

*Interesting thing is ...*

I notice more people wearing Ferragamo ties now.

Andrey

P.S. the best Herems ties are the skinny ones - and from old collections - meaning you had for a long time ))

It's like a Jaguar - if you have it - you are rich - you have an old Jag - you have been rich for a long time [alas, not anymore with Jags ...]


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## The Other Andy (Jan 9, 2008)

I have a few. I like them - they are definitely overpriced, but I always get roped in by this certain salesman at the Hermes store in Palm Beach. His name is "T" (that's what it says on his biz card, just "T") and he has an awesome eye. The first tie I ever bought from that Hermes store was from him, probably in 1994. If I go in he usually manages to sell me a tie.


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## rbstc123 (Jun 13, 2007)

*Great*



HISMES PARIS said:


> I love them, but again it's all opinion. Some Neiman Marcus stores (the one I went to was in Fashion Valley) discount them for $80 or so at the end of the season. I do think they dimple well, and I love the prints, but ties are a very personal choice. Also check out Ferragamo if you like Hermes; very similar patterns.


Thanks for mentioning Ferrgamo. I like options.


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## Buffalo (Nov 19, 2003)

rbstc123 said:


> Enlighten me. I really like some of their designs but are Hermes ties really worth the price you pay? I understand this is a relative question. Also, does anyone know when/where to score a deal on a Hermes tie?
> Regards.
> rbstc123


Last Call, Neiman Marcus's outlet store often carries them for under $50, and sometimes substantially less than that.


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## AMVanquish (May 24, 2005)

Here's the only Hermes tie I own so far, I picked it up in the San Francisco store. It looks like a solid from afar, but there's actually an H pattern if you look up close.










I can usually make a nice dimple like this, but it straightens out over the course of the evening, so I have to readjust it a few times.


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## rocco (Feb 21, 2007)

IMHO the majority of Hermes designs are dubious.


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## MarcDavidMiller (Mar 1, 2005)

I've been wearing Hermes ties since I was in high school in the late 70s (my father's wife worked for them for a few years). I remember reading business magazines such as Forbes and Fortune and noticing that the chairmen or owners (never the underlings) inevitably wore Hermes. I agree that some of their styles are self-promoting or overly novel, but if you stick with the classic styles you'll be wearing them for 20+ years.


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## Zubberah (Sep 29, 2003)

For nearly 20 years i detested hermes ties. Too skinny. Questionable quality. Grandpa-ish (all corporate types over 45 seem to wear them, especially in my area of stockbroking/investment banking). Crappy dimple knots. Not enough wovens. But in last 12 months have bought 3 - yes, cutesy ones with hippos, umbrerellas and windmills. Contrast to my 180-tie collection (mostly Richard james, leonard and Zegna and versace).

I find it strange that people actually believe Hermes ties are good qaulity. You often find them at salvation army stores in Sydney for $2 each which I have bought and pulled apart. Flimsy silk twills, poor construction (they come apart very easily).


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## LD111134 (Dec 21, 2007)

*Are all Hermes ties so narrow?*

I have only one Hermes tie that I purchased many years ago, and it's only 3 inches wide. Are they still so narrow? The tie in AMVanquish's photo appears to be much wider.


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## CharlesAlexander (Apr 21, 2008)

They make good quality ties, but the designs are all usualy centered around the "H" as somebody else has said. Not a big fan of that. Yes, I know it's Hermes tie, I do not need to tell everyone that I meet what tie it is.


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## dfloyd (May 7, 2006)

*Let's see ....*

Hermes ties don't dimple well, are flimsily constructed, overdone with little Hs, and have stupid prints of sheep, fish, and even frogs. Anything else which makes the Hermes a great and expensive tie?


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## Rossini (Oct 7, 2007)

I thought this slightly fawning article from the New Straits Times on Hermes' current 'trunk show' would be worth adding to this thread:


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## pt4u67 (Apr 27, 2006)

I have 2 that I purchased on ebay (<$40 for both). I thought to go the inexpensive route before considering spending more. They are skinnier than the current mode of ties, however they are far from the "skinny ties" that are so in now. The silk has a nice hand and they are great for half windsors. Not sure if I would drop $160 but I may go back to NM next month and see if I can find a few on sale. 

By the way, mine are not adorned with the "H" logo and are not animal prints.


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## dragon (Jan 28, 2006)

Rossini said:


> I thought this slightly fawning article from the New Straits Times on Hermes' current 'trunk show' would be worth adding to this thread:


Never knew a tie trunk show existed. Unfortunately or furtunately, I'm not a big fan of the "H" design so I'll pass.

Its nice to know that Hermes has at 100 different shades that you can select from.


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## deanayer (Mar 30, 2008)

I have just one Hermes with a small geometric pattern to it. I think my tie future is with Robert Talbott "best of class" ties and anything from Ben Silver's in Charleston (and on the web). At some point I decided its too silly having people get up close to your tie to see what's on it like ducks or horses etc. A bit of that is fine, I am not an absolutist at all but the endless supply of gag ties and holiday ties etc. serves to dumb-down the tie and further dumb down mens fashion in general where effort is expended to look the way you chose to look . Having ties that are effectively cartoons is not helping mens fashion so I am looking more towards stripes and solids and away from ties covered in nouns or abstract art - its also not a canvas in my view.

If you are buying second hand or off ebay note:

Hermes has a problem most other ties do not have and thats its HUGE reputation - it has "collectors" who have to have each whole season and who dont actually wear them as much as collect them like pez dispensers so go get a Charvet made by the oldest shirt maker in france from their store on the Place Vendome and it will likely be better or as good as a hermes and at a more reasonable price.


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## Puffdaddy (Dec 21, 2006)

In my experience, women (particularly young women) are quite fond of the the Hermes animal prints.

It's not a terrible idea to have a few.


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## le.gentleman (Dec 30, 2004)

We just created an in-depth video guide about whether Hermes ties are worth it or not and we also have one coming up about how to identify a fake Hermes from a genuine one, so stay tuned.
Here is the video:


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Thank you and I will take a look when I can. I did read the article and appreciated the authors “pros and cons” analysis. 

At $180, Hermès ties are certainly not the most expensive, but it’s interesting how the mere mention of them gets the conversation about whether they are “worth it or not” started.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

I know of many more brands at that pricepoint that are certainly more "worth it" in terms of construction and expected lifespan. Brands like Hermès and Charvet are almost disposable.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

drlivingston said:


> I know of many more brands at that pricepoint that are certainly more "worth it" in terms of construction and expected lifespan. Brands like Hermès and Charvet are almost disposable.


Would you feel comfortable sharing the names of those brands ?

Just curious

:beer:


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

Though I don’t wear ties every day, the Charvet and Hermès ties that I have certainly don’t feel disposable.


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## FLMike (Sep 17, 2008)

drlivingston said:


> I know of many more brands at that pricepoint that are certainly more "worth it" in terms of construction and expected lifespan. Brands like Hermès and Charvet are almost disposable.


I've never owned a Charvet tie, but I still have Hermès ties that I bought in the 90's, and they tie the nicest knots of any of the ties in my closet. The only ones I've had to dispose of were the result of my own carelessness while eating a cheeseburger or bowl of soup. Very nice ties.


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## Mr. B. Scott Robinson (Jan 16, 2017)

I believe that one should resist purchasing ties at a price point where one is afraid to assume the risk of ruining them. If one must worry about spilling a drop of soup on ones tie during a meal in a fantastic restaurant with a beautiful woman, a pleasurable experience is compromised by ones concern. 

I buy my high end ties on ebay for 1/4 retail price. I would never pay $150 for a tie when the same money puts me 1/3 of the way toward saving for a quality pair of shoes. 

Cheers, 

BSR


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

FLMike said:


> I've never owned a Charvet tie, but I still have Hermès ties that I bought in the 90's, and they tie the nicest knots of any of the ties in my closet. The only ones I've had to dispose of were the result of my own carelessness while eating a cheeseburger or bowl of soup. Very nice ties.


This is not the first time that we have disagreed on Hermès. lol They do have some of the most whimsical patterns and, admittedly, tie a very good knot. It's their longevity that lowers my opinion of them. I do own several of the Hermès woven ties that are in a different class. They seem to hold their shape better than their twill brethren (not to mention being more resistant to pulls). I have owned hundreds of Charvets (currently about 25 in inventory). They are the worst in terms of pulls and runs. You can pick up a brand new one at Neiman Marcus and it will likely already have at least one pull in it. It's a neckwear phenomenon. For the record, I have never paid over $10 for a Charvet and they are strictly for reselling.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

drlivingston said:


> This is not the first time that we have disagreed on Hermès. lol They do have some of the most whimsical patterns and, admittedly, tie a very good knot. It's their longevity that lowers my opinion of them. I do own several of the Hermès woven ties that are in a different class. They seem to hold their shape better than their twill brethren (not to mention being more resistant to pulls). I have owned hundreds of Charvets (currently about 25 in inventory). They are the worst in terms of pulls and runs. You can pick up a brand new one at Neiman Marcus and it will likely already have at least one pull in it. It's a neckwear phenomenon. For the record, I have never paid over $10 for a Charvet and they are strictly for reselling.


I have heard the same of Charvet, perhaps even from you, but the Charvet ties I have aren't of the type of weave specifically for that reason. So I guess it's safe to say that _some_ Charvet ties are delicate and will become corrupted easily.


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## fishertw (Jan 27, 2006)

I bought one in the duty free store in Paris on the way home from the 24 Hours of LeMans three years ago. It's been fun to have but I have only worn it a couple of times. I much prefer Drakes or some of my BB ties.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

Drakes are solid ties. I still like finding odd branded UK made ties and seeing that MD on the small label.


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## SG_67 (Mar 22, 2014)

fishertw said:


> I bought one in the duty free store in Paris on the way home from the 24 Hours of LeMans three years ago. It's been fun to have but I have only worn it a couple of times. I much prefer Drakes or some of my BB ties.


Drakes are an excellent value.


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## orange fury (Dec 8, 2013)

Discombobulated thoughts on “higher end” (I guess?) ties:
Drakes- I have two ties and love them. My burgundy/white pindot is probably one of my most worn ties- super durable, and a great knot every. Single. Time.

Hermès- my one Hermès woven is pretty decent- not my favorite, but nice. The fabric feels delicate, but I haven’t had any issues. The only way I can seem to get a dimple out of it is by tying a half Windsor though.

“whimsical” ties- not the same brand cachet as the others on this list, but I have a bunch of Vineyard Vines and Brooks Country Club Ties that have performed great- great knots, durable, and neat patterns. Super cheap on eBay too, especially the BBCC ones

Ferragamo- I have two that get almost no wear due to the width (3.75-4”). They’ll probably get more wear if I ever get them slimmed down. Seems to be good construction though.

Zegna (mainline, not Z Zegna)- I have one that I like the pattern of (red/white stripe), but I can’t seem to ever get a good knot out of it. I got a great knot once, but I had to work harder at it than I would’ve preferred.

Canali- I have one woven paisley that is easily my most complimented tie and it ties a beautiful knot, but it’s delicate with a capital D. The construction is good, but the weave is remarkably prone to snags. I have to pay attention not to catch it on my belt or run my watch/class ring across it when I’m wearing it.

RLPL- these have been some of my best, I think I have 10-12 and all of them are durable and tie great knots. Pretty conservative patterns too, though all are in various combinations of navy/white/black/purple, so there’s not a huge amount of diversity.

No experience with the likes of Lanvin or Charvet- if I ever ran across one and the price was right I might go for it, but I’m not necessarily seeking them out.

Also, on bow ties- Beau Ties Ltd and Southern Proper are awesome, full stop.


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## Mr. B. Scott Robinson (Jan 16, 2017)

SG_67 said:


> Drakes are an excellent value.


I think all my Holland & Holland ties are made by Drakes. They are excellent ties, good looking and long lasting.

Cheers,

BSR


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## Greenshirt (May 22, 2013)

I have one Drake’s ties in blue paisley and absolutely adore it.

I have one Ferragamo tie. Just ok.

I have a couple of Hermes ties. It’s hard to match with my stripe shirts. I think a solid color white shirt and light blue are the most for me when I don an Hermes tie. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Mr. B. Scott Robinson said:


> I believe that one should resist purchasing ties at a price point where one is afraid to assume the risk of ruining them. If one must worry about spilling a drop of soup on ones tie during a meal in a fantastic restaurant with a beautiful woman, a pleasurable experience is compromised by ones concern.
> 
> I buy my high end ties on ebay for 1/4 retail price. I would never pay $150 for a tie when the same money puts me 1/3 of the way toward saving for a quality pair of shoes.
> 
> ...


Sound acquisition advice for virtually any wardrobing purchases of which one is considering !


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## challer (Sep 4, 2008)

My Hermes ties, all gifts, have held up very well. Drakes, older Robert Talbott, and Drakes have all held up very well, release the wrinkles, releases stains easily. My Hober tie on the other hand, had problems on the first wear. I find current BB not worth the money. That said, the opportunities to wear ties are greatly reduced. I have more of a museum of ties and bespoke suits these days.


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## Mr. B. Scott Robinson (Jan 16, 2017)

challer said:


> My Hermes ties, all gifts, have held up very well. Drakes, older Robert Talbott, and Drakes have all held up very well, release the wrinkles, releases stains easily. My Hober tie on the other hand, had problems on the first wear. I find current BB not worth the money. That said, the opportunities to wear ties are greatly reduced. I have more of a museum of ties and bespoke suits these days.


If you ever wish to deassesion any of your tie collection send me a pm!

Cheers,

BSR


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