Society as a whole has gotten more casual, but there are times when neckwear makes a statement.
Brown And Church Luxury Neckwear Summer 2015 Behind The Scenes
5/25/2015 1:00:00 PM
There’s still a market for the neckwear produced by Brown & Church in Pilot Mountain. “The demise of the necktie has been predicted many, many times,” said Larry Marshall of Brown & Church. Society as a whole has gotten more casual, but there are times when neckwear makes a statement. “The necktie, when it comes to really making a professional appearance, at least in my opinion, is still the centerpiece,” said Marshall. Thirty-eight people work in this 28,000 square foot facility to make an assortment of ties and cravats. “The vast majority of our production is what we call a four-in-hand or standard long tie,” said Marshall. With a recent resurgence though…bow ties now account for a quarter of the output here. “Bow ties probably have seen the biggest increase, as far as a percentage of our business, over the past few years,” said Marshall. In the past, Brown & Church automated much of the tie-making process, but now virtually all of the machines are gone. “We’ve evolved to a much more handmade product. It’s much more of an artisan type product,” said Marshall. The company simply couldn’t compete, which is on price with foreign manufacturers. “We wanted to be the best and that would be really the only way we could still compete as a domestic manufacturer,” said Marshall. As a result, Brown & Church remains as one of only a few major producers in the United States. “It’s been an interesting ride,” said Marshall. Ties made here are at the very top of the luxury market. “We are very good and we will continue to work to be the very best,” said Marshall. The work is done by hand. Having experienced employees is key. Many have worked here for more than 15 years. “The experience is extremely important in understanding the nuances of each fabric, each shape that we work with,” said Marshall. There’s a growing desire for made in American products, but Brown & Church doesn’t benefit from that trend as much as you would think. “People have almost gotten to the point that they, they really struggle with even the idea of looking for it,” said Marshall. Being one of the few major U.S. makers does help. “The fact that there are fewer people domestically competing with us, gives us a sense of confidence that we can continue to, to battle in that, in that arena,” said Marshall. A tie is just a piece of apparel, but at Brown & Church the feeling is the right one can make a difference and they hope their customers feel the same way. “I hope that some of the pride and confidence that we have in the product that we make translates to the person that’s wearing it,” said Marshall..
Posted by Erik Peterson, Tom James Company Tampa Bay Sarasota Lakeland 727-916-7848