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By Heidi Quill , Adam Cheung and Faye Fearon
No suit is complete without a tie – it's as simple as that. Check out GQ's edit of the best tie brands for a formalwear essential that'll serve you well in the office, at a wedding, and beyond
A tie is to a suit what icing is to a cake. In fact, Oscar Wilde once said, “A well-tied tie is the first serious step in life,” and we agree. Sure, you might not be required to wear one to work every day, but once you hit your twenties there will always be an occasion to pop your collar and loop up a tie.
Get it right and the power of a tie must never be underestimated. In truth, the tie sets the tone. A spring wedding calls for a pastel or a blooming floral print (see Paul Smith and Dries Van Noten). A winter wedding? Think tweed or knitted (Tom Ford, Turnbull & Asser, and, dare we say, Uniqlo). Henley Royal Regatta, Wimbledon centre court or Goodwood? Diagonal stripes à la Reiss, Drakes, and Thom Browne if you're feeling especially fancy.
With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the best ties of the season, from timeless classics for better black tie to garish fashion house prints. And if the look still doesn't feel complete, take a look at our guides to the best tie clips and cufflinks. Plus, here's how to tie one perfectly.
The road towards dressing in silk is paved with panache tailoring, suave suits, and others’ jealous looks. The prism-like structure refracts light at many angles, giving it the illusion of shimmering and giving the fabric an unctuously soft touch. So, it’s no surprise that silk ties are at top of the range. While there’s no need to reserve them for anything (they can be worn whenever you damn well please), they should be accompanying your best tailoring.
The knit tie delivers texture, theatre, and lightweight porousness. The soft surface makes it dreamy for pairing with textured tailoring, for example, tweed, wool, mohair, cord or seersucker. Plus, the technically very crinkled surface of the tie means that you can aggressively stuff it into the corner of your luggage when travelling and it’ll pop out at the other end as fresh as it went in.
Wallflowers, avert your gaze. A patterned tie is a wonderful thing, and when done right it embodies the joie de vivre and the playful flair of dressing up. All we would say is: tread carefully. Do not force, say, a pinstripe suit with a paisley tie. If you’re going for a patterned tie, we suggest pairing it with a plain suit, since the tie can hold its own as the centrepiece. The tiny human brain can only handle so much patterning on one outfit before it explodes… and you wouldn’t want to subject your fellow wedding-goers to that, would you?
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Reiss has been the benchmark for high street menswear chic for a while; it is successful in the smart-casual realm and isn’t so shabby on the tailoring front either. Whilst it's rather a specific recommendation, for those requiring a tie for a wedding, Reiss ought to be your first port of call. The range is perfectly catered for this market offering pure silk ties and silk blends, in spotted, polka dot, striped, patterning, knit, completely plain, and dogtooth, all in an eclectic mix of colours. The creamier, softer, pastel linen ties are an effortless pairing for your summer silhouettes. In short, Reiss makes wedding tie shopping easy. At reiss.com
Few luxury houses can deliver fashionable flair more than Gucci, making it a top destination for clothing and accessories alike. Expressing the house’s acclaimed Italian craftsmanship, its selection of ties are designed with the highest attention to detail and promise to see you through formal style days for years to come. From the current curation on Matches, our top pick is this camel-coloured offering: assembled from a stunning silk-blend and topped with the brand’s acclaimed GG-jacquard (a motif that will be recognised well by the fashion crowd). At matchesfashion.com
Charles Tyrwhitt's collection is the “best hits” of ties. Over the years, certain designs, colours, patterns and cuts have been proved to just work and Tyrwhitt has effectively distilled all this cumulative knowledge. You have the sophisticated gloss of silk (with innovative stain-resistance), the nonchalant, lightweight feel of linen and the expressive flair of paisley. But if your mind starts scrambling when deciding which one will work best, no sweat, the brand's multi-buy offer means you can curate your perfect selection of neck ornamentation (as they are so commonly known). At charlestyrwhitt.com
Tom Ford definitely knows a thing or two about how to create a good tie. A master of using silk, the label's pieces are world-renowned for their intricate patterns and motifs, all woven into some of the softest silk on the shelves. From heading to work or a night on the town, the American designer’s immaculate tailoring will keep you on the right track. He also makes a bunch of beautiful bow ties too, just in case that's more your thing. At selfridges.com
In 2016, Percival was on the brink of collapse, but now it’s worn religiously by some of Hollywood’s biggest names, like Chris Evans and Kit Harrington. While the label is known for its beautiful sweaters and shirts, you definitely shouldn’t overlook its ties. There’s a pretty limited selection at the moment, but what is available will take your suit game to the next level. At percivalclo.com
Drake’s has all the variety of a haberdasher, all the flair of a vintage tailor, and all the vivacity of a fashion house with its pulse attuned to current trends. This is the deadly trifecta (dare we say, tie-fecta?) that Drake’s pulls together. While the range of ties on offer is gregarious, colourful, and dashing, it is the miniature size of the patterning that gives the ties their perfect blend of expression and restraint. While the brand deals mainly in silk, its wool ties offer a more dulled, subtle and rustic entry point. The range is designed to suit the subtle intricacies of your fancies, styles and needs while remaining unerringly stylish. At drakes.com
Polo Ralph Lauren has been helping men look spiffy since the ‘60s, so you can guarantee that the American label knows a thing (or two) about great-looking ties. While most brands see ties as nothing more than a mere accessory, Polo Ralph Lauren has a knack for making it the centre of every ensemble. From military-inspired camo patterns to designs that harken back to its equestrian roots, there’s something for everyone here. At farfetch.com
If your tie preferences tend to stick to the silk side of the scale, allow us to introduce Charvet. Based in Paris since 1838, the French house is a classic port of call for sartorial mastery which expresses the utmost excellence upon wear. Translate this to the tie section of their offerings, and you’ll find a series of designs which top silk textures with traditional jacquard motifs. With the upcoming winter season in mind, we advise adding this navy piece to your basket: woven with a geometric print and detailed with a functional keeper loop. At matchesfashion.com
Beginning as a humble men's shirts specialist, Ted Baker has since broadened its sartorial horizons, designing ready-to-wear and accessories with an unswerving focus on quality and sharp but subtle luxury. Known for using patterns and prints in its tie selection, you can trust a Ted Baker accessory to bring dimension and pizzazz to your everyday tailoring. At amazon.co.uk & tedbaker.com
As one of the most important tailors to revolutionise the suit in the sixties (with early clients including The Beatles and Mick Jagger), Edward Sexton’s house style has long been characterised by flamboyant details: a trait which you’ll find through his tie designs. Curated into a tight capsule of plains, stripes, spots and exuberant prints, the Savile Row-based house makes use of earthy and textured fabrics to grant the highest quality and longevity upon purchase. To inject a true sense of the Sexton into your attire, we suggest starting with this grenadine tie: clad in a decadent brown and detailed with a metallic diamond motif. At edwardsexton.co.uk
To those with a fashion conscious approach to dressing, Valentino’s approach to tie design is bound to satisfy. Combining the house’s traditional craftsmanship with contemporary details, an investment in an accessory will seal your silhouette with stark (and subtle sex) appeal. Case in point for it in action? This black, wool-blend style. Shaped to a slim fall, its classic design has been updated with modern sensibilities through adjustable buckle tabs around the neck and finishing silver V-plaque at the base. One for lovers of a strictly monochrome wardrobe. At matchesfashion.com
For a selection of well-made ties which won’t dent your bank account, allow us to introduce The Tie Bar. As one of the most impressive outlets of affordable designs around, the Chicago-based brand defines itself as being the ultimate accessory wingman to help you look your best. From grosgrain and solid satin to grenalux and flecked, there’s a fabric to suit pretty much any avenue of dress, and with most products under £25, you can’t really go wrong. If you’re on the lookout for a fancier style to see you through formal outings, the brand’s bow tie category has also got you covered. At thetiebar.com
Founded with the idea to offer every element of the classic wardrobe, Husbands Paris crafts its designs with longevity in mind: a status which you can see across its selection of ties. Offering a style to accommodate every type of social outing – whether you want to keep things muted through a knitted piece or communicate a touch of pizazz through an art deco-inspired printed style – a finishing accessory from this French brand promises to communicate the perfect level of elegance over the top of your attire. Be sure to look at the brand’s excellent selection of suits to complete it. At husbands-paris.com
Moss' range is a revelation: the paired back patterning, the tasteful tones and endless silhouettes will continue to inspire your tailoring for aeons. It even caters to the width of the tie, an oft-overlooked facet of tie shopping. We at GQ are especially impressed by the crisp modernity of the floral ties thanks to the brand's partnership with Liberty Fabrics, which prints near Lake Como, famed for its exciting designs. If that’s too colourful, try the sketched outlines that retain a more easy colour palette, while introducing keen pattern work. At moss.co.uk
You can’t talk about the best in tie brands without bringing up Prada. Over the past couple of years, the Italian house’s neckties have become extremely popular, with fashion-focused millennials as well as trendy Gen Z-ers. Models like the Re-Nylon Gabardine and Bolo frequently make their way to Insta and TikTok feeds everywhere. Pair these with a crisp white dress shirt and you’ve got yourself a 'fit that’s sure to turn heads (and cameras) wherever you go. At prada.com
Found on Jermyn Street (a street destined to fulfil your tie needs, FYI) the rows of endlessly varying silk ties on display are a veritable tie-topia. Turnbull & Asser's emblematic ties are all constructed of Suffolk-woven silk with a wool blend lining in three sections: the bald, the gusset, and the under end. They are hand-stitched in England with an “indestructible” bonded thread (anything with an absolute resistance to destruction is a good thing, no?) and come in gorgeous floral patterns, paisleys, jacquard, stripes, cross-hatching, dots, illustrations, and chic modern graphics. And if that’s all a little overwhelming, the brand also does modest ties and knitted alternatives exceptionally well too. Imagine the wildest, or most simple tie you can: Turnbull & Asser will certainly have it. At turnbullandasser.co.uk
It’s a new era for Burberry, and it’s looking good. Even though Daniel Lee hasn't long been at its helm, the ex-Bottega Creative Director has already made plenty of changes to the British brand, and we love what we see so far. Throughout the entire tie range, Burberry has shifted its focus back towards its classic check pattern, and models like the EKD Print and Logo Pinstripe are very quickly becoming firm favourites among the sartorially-inclined. At burberry.com
Paul Smith’s approach to clothing is stylish sophistication that comes with a cheeky smile. It’s what makes the brand so endearing, and nowhere is this more apparent than the brand's ties. The new range of designs is creative, inventive, and simply exciting. Just witness the ‘sunflower’ print, or the ‘cloud’ print, or the ‘forest sketches,’ they come spliced in two colours and are the creations of a bold, experimental design team. If that’s a little too “out there”, PS also delivers plain colours, subtle polka dots and the immaculate placement of stripes. At matchesfashion.com
Hugo Boss has been going through a lot of changes as of late, and from what we’ve seen so far, everything looks great. The German brand has a massive selection of ties available in a variety of different patterns, materials, and even price points. This means that even if you’ve got a pretty tight budget Hugo Boss has plenty of options for you. At amazon.co.uk & hugoboss.com
France's oldest couture house was founded in 1889 and remains one of the most prominent labels in modern-day tailoring. In true French style, Lanvin's offerings have since become acclaimed for their impeccable quality and intrinsic focus on detail and aesthetics. Between festive velvet offerings, micro-patterned picks, and simple polka dot designs, Lanvin's ties span every avenue of Parisian style whilst remaining sharp, sleek, and poised throughout. A space will surely be allocated for them in the Louvre in no time. At mrporter.com
We’re not sure we will ever crack the mystery of Thom Browne’s undying appeal. Those four stripes… do something. The four-stripe refrain is there, greeting you with stylish familiarity even when it comes to ties. The predictable palette of white, grey and navy blue also means that styling Thom Browne clothing (and ties) is as easy as putting it on. Then there is the hint of playfulness, here depicted in the stickman and the school name badge at the rear of the tie. Elsewhere, silk knits with a flat end and bubblegum pink and white seersucker striped ties offer versatility to the “Browne” aesthetic. At ssense.com
Backing a mottled marle or chevron pattern across nearly all of its creations, Missoni is the world-renowned Italian label that lives to disorient, blur and excite. In terms of its tie-based offerings, Missoni lives up to its pattern-loving reputation with a line of silk-based and wool-based offerings that vow to spice up your suiting with an added depth and whisper of whimsy. At mrporter.com
The level of intricate repetition on a Salvatore Ferragamo tie means that you simply won’t find a boring tie in its vast collection. If a pattern creates an almost homogenous colour with the addition of being interesting, deep and stylish… then why not? Note the way that only silk is used, suggesting an unabashed allegiance to the upper end of tie tailoring. We salute you, Ferragamo. But it’s the knitted silk ties, with all their softness, lustre, and porousness, that deserve the true hype. The holes allow the tie to naturally merge with the colour of your shirt, meaning that it does your styling for you. Smart (and in every sense). At farfetch.com
One of the world's leading tailors since its first runway in 1952, Brioni specialises in refined basics infused with classic Italian panache. Approaching the tie with just as much thought and attention to detail as you'd expect from the brand, Brioni's ties are handcrafted in rural Italy from a lustred silk-twill blend before being finished with an embroidered initial at the blade. Simply bellissimo. At mrporter.com
Mens Silk Cowboy Scarf Imagine that the white stone buildings of Umbria, the sun-dappled vineyards, and the windy single-track roads had been transfused into the very fabric of a tie. You've arrived at the Brunello Cucinelli tie. Rustic charm is embedded in the dusty linen shades, the plain wool editions and even the subtle silk patterning. Cucinelli presents a style that has self-confidence, it knows what it is: laidback, very Italian, and very dapper. Like the tie-wearer themselves, these ties don’t need to shout; they just need to be. At