Atie is a tie is a tie, right? Knot! cries Michael Newell, listing 10 reasons why men should buy a colorful tie this spring:
1. It hides food stains better than a somber tie.
2. Because your boss, your secretary, your wife-even your office building doorman-are giving your current tie collection a thumbs-down.
3. It keeps the kids from buying you an ugly tie for Father`s Day.
4. It helps camouflage the ugly suspenders they gave you at Christmas.
5. So people in the office won`t notice you`ve worn the same suit twice this week.
6. Because you`re depressed.
7. To divert attention from above the neck (and your receding hairline).
8. To divert attention from below the waist (and your shoes that need a polish).
9. You`ve got a hot date.
10. Because I design some really cool ones.
Newell, 32, launched his neckwear collection 18 months ago when he decided that he could help other men find that middle fashion ground between deadly dull and screaming-for-attention.
Mixing unexpected color combos-earth tones and vibrant jewel shades-on his Italian silk neckwear, Newell says he has a penchant for floral prints but his designs are abstract enough so they don`t look like people are growing rose gardens around their necks.
Newell ought to have a pretty good idea about what is going to fly with businessmen. Unlike many designers, he has had first-hand experience in the corporate jungle, having worked as a paralegal for seven years at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, a Chicago law firm.
This exposed Newell to the conservative side of menswear. Working as a part-time model exposed him to the avant-garde side.
While he considered becoming a lawyer, Newell says he always yearned to do something more creative. ”At Sonnenschein, people always complimented on me on my ties. I began to think to myself: `If I can select great ties, why can`t I create great ties?` ”
So far, he seems to be doing a good job. First-year sales were $50,000, and Newell estimates he will double that figure this year. In Chicago, his ties are carried at Ultimo, 114 E. Oak St.
”Michael`s ties really pop, yet they are sophisticated at the same time. They look good with either a business suit or a denim shirt,” says Teri Cholette, tie buyer for Knot Shop stores. (Knot Shop stores had stocked the ties earlier this spring, but sold out in a month. They`ll be back in July.)
Or, check out Newell`s neckwear at Jazz Oasis, a new restaurant and jazz bar at 343 E. Erie St. Male and female servers are wearing his neckwear as part of their uniform. In June, they`ll be sporting vests by the designer.
Experience counts
Lessons gleaned from his modeling days still come in handy for Newell as he works single-handedly at promoting his ties.
While many visitors to the Tribune`s photo studio break out in a sweat when they get in front of the camera, Newell was in complete control. ”Here`s one of my Ward`s catalog poses, page No. 435,” the designer quips, sticking his hand in his pocket, throwing his head back and igniting a smile that could light up a room.
A tip for the photophobic: ”Take a deep breath before the shutter clicks,” says Newell. ”It gives your body better definition and adds animation to your face.”
Newell appears to be easygoing, but confides that he has a stubborn streak. ”So far, I`ve done everything people told me not to do,” he says. Advised to price his line low because he is a rookie, Newell`s ties are at the high end, $65 to $70 each. Instead of using polyester labels, Newell says he insists on silk. ”I know the audience I want to attract. I want to hang (in stores) with the big boys-Giorgio Armani and Hugo Boss.”
Equal opportunity
And ties are not for men only, the designer maintains. Newell has just launched a collection of women`s neckwear-fruit prints on sandwashed silk and silk crepe. ”I call it fabric jewelry,” says Newell, who suggests women knot the tie lower than a man would and undo a shirt button or two. These ties are available at Biba, 712 N. Wabash Ave.
Newell also is working on a line of ties for little boys, ages 4 to 7.
”Knots for Tots” will go beyond the predictable giraffes and zebras, says Newell. ”I want to give kids really cool cartoon characters that they can relate to.”
Eventually, he wants to expand to bathrobes, boxer shorts and women`s tank tops.
Ironically, now that Newell designs ties, he no longer wears them. His uniform today generally consists of blue jeans and a denim shirt.
But even in scruffies, it`s easy to picture Newell on the runway. The designer stands 6 feet tall, with strong features and a clean-cut appearance. (Yes, he`s single but not necessarily totally unattached.)
Best place to run into Newell? Try Rizzoli bookstore in Water Tower Place.”It`s my favorite hangout,” says the designer. –
