Sales of ties are being driven up in the UK because men are choosing to wear them rather than feeling they have to.

The UK’s leading online tie retailer TieWarehouse.co.uk reports its sales are up 20 per cent year-on-year.

Reports at the weekend suggested sales are up as worried workers smarten themselves up in the face of redundancies caused by the credit crunch.

But Tie Warehouse has found that the increased sales are down to people choosing to wear a tie as a fashion statement.

The website’s Gary Baker said: “We’ve always said the tie isn’t dead - it’s just moved from work wear to casual wear.

“There was a period a couple of years ago when dressing down in offices meant many traditional tie wearers stopped wearing them. But that trend has started reversing recently as many workers choose to look smarter. When wearing a tie is optional it becomes a personal statement.”

Tie Warehouse has also noticed a flurry of tie sales driven by celebrities and bands.

Skinny ties and square-end ties are especially popular at the moment.

Despite the increased sales, one side of the business does seem to be seeing the effects of a slowdown in the economy.

Customers are starting to choose cheaper versions of ties used for one off occasions, such as wedding cravats.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS
• A Tie Warehouse spokesman is available for interview. Call 08452 303049. Or email press@publicityheaven.com
• Pictures, samples and competition stock are available
• Full press resources including images, logos and screenshots, are available online at www.tiewarehouse.co.uk/press
• Tie Warehouse is the UK’s leading online retailer of men’s ties and related accessories. The Kent-based company was founded in early 2004 and currently stocks over 1500 different ties, bow ties and cravats for men and boys. In addition to a wide range of fashion ties, Tie Warehouse specialises in hard-to-find items like clip-on ties and children’s ties.