Patrizio Cappelli kindly sent me two fully unlined, unpadded seven-fold ties to contemplate before having my others de-padded. I haven’t had a chance to wear either, but at first blush they appear to be everything I originally expected.
Yes, they are both blue. Apparently, Patrizio noticed a subtle trend in my preferences!
As you can plainly see, there is absolutely no filler. It’s just silk folded on silk. Previously, I had understood “unlined seven-fold” to mean just that. However, when I received my order from Cappelli a few weeks ago, I learned that such is not the case. The ties are certainly unlined, as they lack any additional layer of fabric to cover the backside of the exterior silk. However, beginning halfway up each tie, two very thin layers of interlining (or ‘padding’, as Patrizio refers to it) are sewn-in, providing extra structure and stability. Hence, I had myself five unlined, but not unpadded, seven-fold ties.
I don’t know if the miscommunication was caused by a mismatch between English and Italian nomenclature or simply due to my own technical ignorance (the far more likely explanation), but these two new ties are ’unlined’ in the way I originally meant.
A friend recently asked me what’s so special about the unlined seven-fold ties that I typically order. Truthfully, it’s not really a ‘better’ form of construction–a tie made in such a way will be no more durable or last any longer than any other well-crafted tie. It won’t even necessarily look different.
The closest thing I can come up with resembling an objective advantage is the increased comfort. Without any interlining or padding, an unlined tie feels particularly soft and light. Considering that you wear your tie all-day long, wrapped snuggly around your neck, the difference is more than neglible. That said, a very lightly lined four-fold can offer a similar feel, while better holding its shape wear-to-wear.
So, what gives? While I admit that there’s no direct aesthetic or functional benefit, a tie like the Cappellis pictured above is a beautifully crafted object that is pleasurable to handle and worth admiring on its own. To the extent personal enjoyment–and the confidence necessary to realize it–is essential to real style, the appeal of such a tie actually makes perfect sense.
How wide are your Cappellis? I just ordered some through Mina Adamo and I think she said they’re 9 cm, so I’m curious about how wide yours are. Love the striped one btw.
Mine are all 8cm wide–but that was by my request. I don’t know what Patrizio does by default.
You don’t happen to find that they knot or drape a bit differently without the wool interlining? I find my “pure” 7 folds sometimes knot a bit smaller than those with interlining.