Heritage and The Fine Art of Understatement
Founded in 1977
Michael Drake photographed
by Lord Patrick Litchfield
for the Sunday Times, Oct 1973
Founded in 1977 by Michael Drake, Jeremy Hull and Isabel Dickson, the original Drakes collection was comprised of mens quality scarves. A range of English handmade ties and printed silk handkerchiefs quickly followed, and today Drakes is the largest independent producer of handmade ties in England. Over the years the company has won prestigious accolades for design and export achievement, including the Queen's Award for Export and the UK Fashion Export Gold Award for Outstanding Export Achievement.
The original vision and ethos for the company – to be truly international in terms of sales, with collections designed for a select range of luxury shops from the most conservative to the most fashionable world wide – is the same today as it was then. Drakes continues to eschew the drama of mere gesture so prevalent today, believing that true luxury is indeed the comprehension of quality.
Tradition and Innovation
The Drakes collection can be found at Knize in Vienna (whose byword is more conservative than the Catholic Church) at one extreme, and at the Dover Street Market and Comme des Garcons stores in London, Paris, New York, and Tokyo at the other. Drakes’ designs have a distinctive hand-writing, easily identifiable and classic while thoroughly modern, a constant dialogue between tradition and innovation.
The Drakes style, beginning with a refined English discrimination, has evolved with a touch of consummate French chic and a nod to the Italians for their abundant sense of style and colour. This aesthetic represents a vision of how English style is perceived to be, rather than the reality which today is all too often less inspiring. Michael Drake’s rationale was that, if the best shops in Paris and Milan – the two most discerning markets in the world – were won over, satisfying the rest of the world would be easy by comparison.
Attention to Detail and Craftsmanship
Adhering to our rich heritage, Drakes ties continue to be entirely handmade in the heart of London, the craftsmanship and constant attention to detail that is given to the product is never compromised and truly sets Drakes apart in this age of the numbingly ordinary and the quaintly redone. Our scarves and knitwear are made of only the finest quality of silk, wool, and cashmere, continue to be designed in Clerkenwell London, and manufactured exclusively in England and Scotland.
Launch of the Online Shopping Site
In Autumn 2007 Drakes opened its first online shopping site. The vision was to introduce a virtual haberdashers for the most discerning gentlemen. The offer would be limited to unique items which sadly are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Since then, Drakes has addressed the sartorially enlightened with a selection of handsome shirts, luxurious cashmere knitwear, the finest quality classic white linen handkerchiefs, over-the-calf socks in both fine wool and Egyptian cotton, unique travel umbrellas, exclusive sterling silver and antique bead cuff links, the perfect sports belt combining cotton webbing with English saddle leather, and throws and picnic rugs woven in Scotland.