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For designer David Hart, it seems he was destined to go into fashion. His great-grandfather was a milliner in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and when David was young he received a trunk full of his great-grandfather’s old ties. And as he told me, “I loved them.” Having studied at FIT and with design stints at Anna Sui, Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren, Hart decided to launch his own line of neckwear.
With each collection Hart receives more recognition and more accolades, and so I was thrilled to get the chance to learn more about his process, his sources of inspiration, and what we can expect him to deliver next!
Q: What is your process for sourcing fabrics?
A: Our silks come from England and Italy, the wools from Scotland, and the Linens from Ireland. We also do some cottons out of Japan. The majority of our textiles are designed and developed in conjunction with our mills. The best part about this is the exclusivity. When you wear one of our ties, you don’t have to worry about seeing another gentleman (or stylish woman that chooses to wear a tie) dressed like you.
Follow through for the full interview:
Q: Given your pieces are handmade, how long does it normally take to produce each one?
A: We manufacture all of our ties by hand in our Brooklyn factory. A lot of tie makers cut corners by using a Leba machine to make their ties, however we don’t. The process involves hand cutting, sewing in the tipping, attaching the interlining, slip stitching the back of the tie, bar tacks, and labeling. The entire process can take up to an hour for our craftsmen.
Q: Where do you get the inspiration for each collection?
A: Inspiration is everywhere! I just came back from an amazing trip to Costa Rica and I’ve been obsessed with the masks created by the indigenous Boruca tribes. I’m pulling colors from these masks for our Spring 2012 collection. I’m excited to see how this collection develops.
A mask that inspired the new collection!
Q: You currently have selvedge denim in your line — are there any new materials or techniques you’ll be working on?
A: We are always looking for new techniques and consistently making our mills crazy with our requests for new qualities. Currently we are working with new treatments for silk dupioni, wool, linen, and cotton. We have an amazing group of fair isle inspired ties coming out for the holiday season but that’s all I’m going to say!
Q: And finally, I’ve seen images of a Navajo tie in your next release. Can you share more?
A: I’m so excited about the Navajo ties. These are all hand woven in England. We pulled the patterns from authentic Navajo Rugs. These are in production right now!
Navajo fabrics, to be turned into ties
If you didn’t already go to David Hart’s website, get over there now and check out some of the great pieces you can buy today. And if you’re in the Los Angeles area, go check out the David Hart display at Fred Segal Santa Monica…
David Hart goodness at Fred Segal Finery
Source: David Hart, The Invisible Agent
