The Pink Bow Tie, A Story by Eden Park

A brief history of the bow tie.

The bow tie, like the tie, is an importation of the 17th  Century’s Croatian mercenaries. Initially, this accessory allowed shirts to be worn closed; it then became an indispensable item among the elites, not only for its elegance but also as a class symbol.

The bow tie originates from the neck tie (soft tie often tied around the neck), which was worn by intellectuals and artists at the end of the 19th Century (Mallarmé, Baudelaire…), which opposed the stiff bourgeoisie and militants who wore the stock (white tie made from fine linen which was wrapped around the neck many times and tied at the front).
It was in France that this tie was transformed into a bow tie, in honour of Puccini and his success with “Madame Butterfly” in 1904. This started the age of the bow tie and was worn by the likes of Winston Churchill and James Bond.

The image of the tie became tarnished and the bow tie was considered more sophisticated, and became the must have accessory of men’s fashion to be worn for all special occasions. The bow tie still epitomizes “British elegance” and the bow tie is often worn as a more casual alternative to the tie.

From butterfly to pink.

On the 2nd of May 1987, the players of the Racing Club de France played the French championship final wearing pink bow ties. They won, and the legend of the pink bow tie was born, a brilliant combination of elegance and eccentricity of which the brand is now renowned for.

The pink bow tie is a symbol of Eden Park and appears on nearly all of its garments. Why the name Eden Park? The name originates from the stadium in New Zealand, the “mecca” of rugby.

In keeping with the rugby values of passion, grace, originality, tradition and nobility; “rugby is a rough sport played by gentleman.”