Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Things I’m Doing: 44 Days of Ties (Day 6)
It was a busy day, but not too busy to stop in front of The Barber Pole in Birmingham, MI, where I get my hair cut, and snap a picture of my tie and a landmark. Yet another Express brand tie and Express brand shirt (don’t worry …I have a Nautica tie in the queue for Monday). This Express tie is a bit special …it was from their Express Design Studio, which I can’t seem to find anymore, so it must’ve been some “new phase” launched by some young fashion designer and my guess is, that fashion designer and marketing person (team) is/are loooooong gone. I imagine everyone sitting around a board room thinking up ways to tap into the “executive” segment of tie buyers and someone suggested “high-end suits and ties …and dress shirts” and everyone applauded and they put big resources behind the “Design Studio” concept and then …it fizzled.
When next they had a board meeting they had to look at the horrible performance of their “Design Studio” initiative and how it pretty much hemoraged money and some senior marketing guy had to admit Express had no business trying to capture the Men 35+ and they were going back to focusing on their core consumer …the young man in his 20s who wears ties as a shtick, but not for business. He also quite likely said good things about “Farnsworth and his team” and said, “they’ve agreed to move on and we wish them the best.”
I hope, somewhere, Farnsworth and his team are a little happier right now seeing one of their “Express Design Studio” ties being talked about and worn by a man of 39.
The tie is grey/silver with blue and grey spots and I paired it with a light blue dress shirt and dark grey slacks. This tie is wonderful …definitely one of my favorites. It really goes well with two of my suits, and sadly I don’t get much opportunity to wear those anymore, either.
Oh, and I have my first disciple in the “44 Days of Ties” movement …my cousin Kyle, who’s helping me class up American by also wearing a tie-a-day. Who’s with us?
We’re standing by! We wear a tie! Get used to it! Have a great weekend.
Don Kowalewski 