Aklasu ties, for gentlemen who value fine craftsmanship.

I don't often post reviews of products, unless I am completely and utterly blown away (the last one was months ago when I featured the Taylor Stitch Wayfaring Jacket), so get ready because you're going to fall hard for this newly discovered brand of handmade {in Italy... just saying} ties, bowties and pocket squares. 

Allow me to introduce AKLASU, the {local} purveyor of handcrafted, 100% Italian silk ties, bowties, cravats and pocket squares, made to last a lifetime.

AKLASU tie, bowtie and storage canisters. 

Here is the story...

I came across AKLASU a few weeks back whilst preparing final touches for a formal wedding party I'm styling. The groom is a dapper fellow who pays great attention to detail and definitely is not down with cutting corners. He wanted the best of the best, from custom suiting for all of the groomsmen, to the best black bowties on the market. I had a task to fulfill, and I certainly wasn't going to bring these guys some pre-tied, mass-produced bowtie - I wanted to bring them the best. SO, I started to do a little research and stumbled upon AKLASU, a fellow Albertan brand that provides the best-of-the-best in menswear accessories. I contacted the owner of the company and he proceeded to tell me that unfortunately they did not have the amount of black bowties I needed in stock right then and there, BUT he was going to reach out to the suppliers in Italy to see if they would be able to meet my deadline {my fingers were crossed}. Not more than 12 hours later, he called me with good news. Not only were they going to be able to produce the ties in time, they were going to be custom-made for this specific wedding party with high-quality Italian silk, and packaged in beautiful storage canisters that would make for a perfect gift for the groomsmen {BAM}. Needless to say, I was stoked {and so was the groom}.

The handsome storage canisters. 

Another really cool thing about this brand that I'd like to mention is that they make a beautiful grenadine tie (not to be confused with a knit tie). If you're not familiar with the grenadine weave, allow me to explain. The grenadine tie is crafted by using silk {and machines nearly a century old} to create a unique 3-dimensional weave that results in the Bentley of ties. There are only a few textile mills in the world that are able to make this weave properly, and AKLASU's craftsmen are one of them. 

Below is an image of one of the grenadine ties - you can tell from the photo that the weave is different than your standard silk tie.

AKLASU's pocket squares are also pretty awesome! They're 100% silk, and hand-rolled and stitched on the edges... meaning, the silk wasn't just cut and quickly sewn together by a machine, they were handcrafted, with care.

Hand sewn 100% silk pocket square. 

Based on this review, you're probably thinking these ties are going to cost you the equivalent of $$$$ on Yelp. Fortunately, they're very, very affordable, with their entry level ties starting at $50 USD, which includes shipping and returns (but you won't want to return anyways, so that's irrelevant).  From my experience, this is about the least you are going to pay for a tie, and even then, it certainly won't be handmade in Italy. 

Head on over to their website to check these guys out... and if you end up grabbing one, two or five for yourself, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

Stay dapper,

- Ensemble Style