Journal

Over the past few months, I have been excited to see Tony Dokoupil, one of the hosts of "CBS This Morning," adding a few Olaf Olsson neckties to his arsenal of...

In general, wagara means a Japanese pattern or design. These traditional and historic designs each have a very specific meaning and are often associated with a specific season or occasion.

Katsushika Hokusai was a Japanese artist born on October 23, 1760 in Edo Japan. He left an enduring legacy of art that still influences the world today in many forms that range from fine arts, fabric patterns, and Manga. 

We love Japanese fabrics that are chock full of imagery and meaning. The "Fans & Flowers" necktie and batwing bow tie by Olaf Olsson are no exception. The fabric we used for this neckwear includes folding fans, four different flowers, and a wave motif, all of which have deep meaning and long histories in Japan.

Traditional Japanese Kasuri fabrics are created using a method of weaving together threads that have a pattern dyed into them. The patterns are created using a resist dyeing technique known as Ikat. This resist dying technique is combined with traditional indigo dye making to create the distinctive blurry edge patterns that make Kasuri textiles so unique and beautiful. 

Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan. It lies 60 miles to the south-west of Tokyo and on a clear day it is possible to see the snow capped peak of the mountain from the city. Mount Fuji, with its perfectly symmetrical cone, is one of the sacred symbols of Japan. It is also a religious center and is surrounded by temples and shrines and thousands of people come to the mountain every year to visit and climb this majestic natural wonder. The mountain has inspired great artists and photographers to try to reproduce it’s beauty. The most famous reproductions probably being the “36 Views of Mount Fuji”, by Katsushika Hokusai.

Katagami is the Japanese art of using paper stencils to create patterns on cloth and paper. Katagami has been used in Japan for centuries with evidence of stencils that date back to around the 6th century. It gained increased popularity during the mid to late 1800’s when Japan opened up trade with the west.

I felt so lucky when I found the cache of vintage 1970’s fabric that I used to develop my “Lost in the 70’s” necktie collection. It also reminded me of how outrageous the 1970’s were on so many levels. Fashion, cars, advertising, lifestyle and so much more. It also made feel a little bad for the kids of today. While I’m sure making it through childhood alive and in one piece has it’s benefits, something seems lost with the sterile, overly cautious lives that kids lead now. I’m sure they don’t know what they’re missing.

In late April of 1591 one of the greatest Japanese tea masters of all time, Sen no Rikyū, committed Harakiri at the request of the great Samurai General Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Rikyū is widely regarded as the person who created the modern aesthetic of the Japanese tea ceremony, having converted it from one of lavish opulence, to one of austere simplicity. The simplicity, asymmetrical irregularities and natural quality that Rikyū applied to the tea ceremony would also become the basis for the Japanese aesthetic of life and design known as Wabi Sabi.

Hanakotoba is the ancient Japanese art of assigning meaning to flowers. In many cultures flowers can be seen as having some deeper meaning than just their pleasant smell and appearance. During the Victorian Era, in the western world, Floriography assigned specific coded meanings to different flowers. Even today florists still pair certain emotions and meanings to specific flowers. Red roses symbolize love and passion, while the mimosa, represents chastity.

When Jerry Pratt, an executive at the US Chamber of Commerce, walked into the Minneapolis WCCO TV station he had no idea he was going to create the next movement in necktie knots. All he really wanted to do was help his favorite news anchor, Don Shelby, tie a smaller more symmetrical knot in his necktie. Within a few years the necktie knot that Jerry Pratt showed Don Shelby would be the hottest thing in neckwear knots. It was also the first new necktie knot to be introduced in almost fifty years.

Shibori is the Japanese art of dying fabric and garments using a technique of resist dying that produces intricate patterns. It is an ancient art in Japan that dates back to around the 8th century. Shibori would be familiar to most modern westerners as Tie-Dye. Although Shibori and Tie-Dye use basically the same techniques to creates patterns on clothing the results are very different.