Van Buck stylish accessories

By Film Noir Buff

Van Buck make furnishings and accessories; ties, bows, cummerbunds & pocket squares.

Would you select a necktie because it was higher quality or rather, because it was acceptable in the circles you worked in? Often the tie’s pattern and colors can be fanciful as long as its shape and design create an acceptable knot. The English like a certain type of look to their knots and consider most others to be a signal of the outsider. That is why it is a relief that firms like Van Buck still exist who create ties that combine both luxury and proper construction.

Men in the UK do not generally have to wear ties and when they do decide to wear one, they want a unique, quality product that denotes their individuality. Van Buck’s vision is to provide them with just that.

Firm Name origins: The current managing director’s father was named Peter, a European investor supplied the “Van” bit and Tim Buckman (a partner) led to the original company name of Pierre (French for Peter”) Van Buck which was shortened verbally to Van Buck.


The trick to looking smart is to complement your outfit in a way that looks both effortless and accidental.


Van Buck’s managing director maintains:

“My Father once told me ‘that over dressed you can go anywhere, under dressed you can’t’- this still holds extremely true today. Take a ‘Black Tie’ do, still to this day most people believe that this mean a Black Bow tie, this is so far from the truth, unless it stipulates on the invite ‘strictly Black Tie’ then any colour, design goes. The wilder the better!

Take sporting/leisure time, this is very much a varied umbrella of styles. If you’ve been invited to go shooting, then Harris Tweeds, Plus fours or moleskin trousers, checked shirts, plain wool or silk shooting motif ties, Barbour coats with either Barker Chelsea boots or Brogues is the norm.

But if invited to watch Football/Soccer in the Directors box or hospitality, then wear dark suits, white, grey or black shirts with plain or semi-plain silk ties and black Italian shoes. The Rugby guys tend to wear navy /grey suits with gingham check shirts and a club silk tie or small motif tie.

A City Gent is always recognizable by the double cuff shirt, probably the single most distinguished item of clothing next to the bold tie.”


UK black tie vogue combines “Old Boy” propriety with dandiacal shock.


Van Buck have their own factory which can make anything necktie and necktie related. They use a Liba machine (from a German design) that matches a wool lining to the silk shell cloth to precision and makes a great approximation of a hand stitch. It allows Van Buck to control their own production and delivery schedules.


Rich but sumptuous silk weaves in true, heraldic colors, often on a black background, are highly sought after by UK professionals to spike their dark suits and brighten up overcast weather.


Their flagship series are the Limited Edition ties which carry the boldest patterns and the boldest color combinations for maximum impact in City circles. They are a more vibrant creation than Duchamp and certainly more exclusive as they only produce 100 of each design. When the company first started out the idea was to retain quality with originality, using heavy, rich woven handle silk. Their ties (limited edition and otherwise) are often longer than the average commercial tie to allow for a larger knot to be done up.


Details of the Munro spun weave which makes for a fine quality wool tie; alluring to the eye.


Beautifully colored Scottish lambswool ties expressly made to go with tattersall shirts (which is why the ties are all solids), These are appropriate for country shooting and hunting guys for up north and in Scotland. The wool ties are often Munro spun which is a term given to the type of weave when producing Lambs wool in Scotland. They are a mixture of two colours in one design; the result of a very fine weave.


Rugby chic. A simple, elegant look befitting a “Ruffians game played by gentlemen.”


Club stripes that go with flannels/blazer and crisp white shirt. These ties are done in a satin weft stripe; the ground color is done in a matte finish. This is a public school and rugby game style which is very popular and produces a fresh, clean look, similar to Hacket or Jack Wills


UK Footballer style. Reminiscent of American gangster styles from the 1960s. It echoes the saying “A gentleman’s game played by ruffians.”


On the other hand, The football/soccer look is more black or dark grey suit, dark shirt and dark (often skinny at the moment ) ties, which they sell mostly in black on black weaves. A charcoal suit (Often in mohair), brown Italian style shoes, white shirt and charcoal grey tie.

Classic dots which never go out of fashion. Large and medium dots. The dark backgrounds are most popular. All in jacquard woven silk to give a depth of design.


This pattern will always be with us. Darker backgrounds are more staid; the brighter ones are nattier.

Twenty five shades of plain satin ties offered mainly for weddings! They make them to order and there are no minimums, whether you require a tie with a matching handkerchief or a self-tie cravat.

Nice, neat necktie designs in golds, reds, pinks, purples, sky blues; all for the “City” look.

Van Buck feels there will be a resurgence in double breasted suits which require ties, and this hasn’t been the case for 20 years.

Double cuffs are a sign of being a professional. Van Buck goes for the professional market whether it is Banking, advertising, law, architecture or medicine.

From its start in 1976, this family run business is something of a sartorial renaissance for the younger set who want to dress smartly. Van Buck provides them with tasteful, updated accouterments with which to both fit in and stand out.

The younger guys love to wear a pair of jeans, brown Barker shoes, dark striped jacket and double cuff shirt; It’s a weekend in the city look (Also called “Half-Dress”). Even if it’s a bit much, they would even go to the pub in this outfit because they love clothes.


Colored enamel cufflinks with a bit of detail. Pantone colors on the enamels are matched to color selections for the ties. A solid push through bar is expensive to make but both smart and easy to put through shirt cuffs.


Van Buck’s opinion on smartly dressed vs smartest dressed:

Smart: Navy suit with thin chalk stripe quite close together, plain shirt and pink tie with neat design.

Smartest: Bold stripe suit, pocket hanky and tie that will provoke interest. Might even wear a suit in a slightly lighter shade to a Londoner’s typical darkest-dark background color.


From Brummell’s time, the evolution of the UK gentleman has produced a great look that straddles office, club and evenings out.


Thus Van Buck both preserves and enhances the English spirit and tradition with regards to smart furnishings that make a chap feel like he can overcome any obstacles a dreary day might throw in his path. There should be a dozen firms in England like Van Buck; thankfully there is at least one.



www.vanbuck.com/www.vanbuck.coms

  1. — Nicholas Storey    Apr 30, 11:18    #

    Any chap investing in these ties need never be out of work because he could always be hired as a belisha beacon.


  2. — FNB    May 4, 10:53    #

    I didn’t realize a 50 GBP tie was an “investment”? I feel out of touch with my readership. Perhaps I should charge a cover to ensure that I do not risk bankrupting those over eager to please?


  3. — PPJS    Jun 13, 04:32    #

    NOT matching tie and handkerchief sets, please – the height of vulgarity.


  4. — FNB    Jun 19, 00:22    #

    Well, in all fairness, it could be worse. Like your comment, it could be the height of mindless drivel.


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