Whoever searches for "an alternative to Drake's" or "a cheaper Marinella" does not want a copy: they want to understand what they are paying for and whether the same silk and the same sewing can be had for less than €200. This page compares the most searched brands with a workshop in the Como district, ours, without hiding where the others are better. Prices checked in October 2026 on official sites or authorised retailers.
The table
| Brand | Where it sews | Silk | Construction | Silk tie price | Initials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake's | London, by hand | Como among others, not stated per piece | Classic with interlining, hand-rolled blades | €200–240 | No |
| E. Marinella | Naples, by hand | Printed, archive designs | Neapolitan classic, seven-fold on request | €160–300 | In store |
| Kiton | Naples, by hand | Not stated | Seven-fold, no interlining | about €340 ($370) | No |
| Bigi Cravatte | Milan, by hand | Own fabrics | Classic, seven-fold | €150–230 | On request |
| Calabrese 1924 | Naples, by hand | Not stated | 3-, 5-, 7-fold | €100–230 | On request |
| Lorenzi Como | Lake Como, by hand | Como, mill founded 1895, 112-pick jacquard and grenadine | 3-fold, 7-fold, grenadine | €160–200 | Included, by hand |
Sources: official sites and retailers (Care of Carl for Drake's, kiton.com), Italy with Antonio for the Marinella, Bigi and Calabrese ranges (September 2026).
Where each one is truly stronger
Drake's has the best design archive and the most recognisable textures (tussah, striped grenadine). If you want a tie that gets noticed, it is hard to do better. You pay for the brand and for London: the large-knot grenadine is €240.
E. Marinella is an experience before it is a tie: the shop on Riviera di Chiaia, the archive prints, choosing the cloth in person. Online, half the value is lost.
Kiton makes the reference Neapolitan seven-fold, entirely by hand and without interlining. It is the most expensive in the table and falls outside this page's budget.
Bigi and Calabrese are the real price competitors: historic workshops, hand sewing, €100–230. The difference with us is geographic, Milan and Naples versus the silk district, and in model: they have shops, we sell online only.
Lorenzi Como is the only one in the table to name its silk mill and to work where the silk is woven. The low price for this quality comes from the short supply chain, not from a compromise on sewing. What we do not have: a print archive, physical shops, thirty years of brand history.
Under €200: what is left
With a €200 ceiling, Kiton drops out. Drake's fits only on sale or for the repp stripes. Marinella starts at €160 for the classic prints. Bigi, Calabrese and Lorenzi Como cover the whole range with hand sewing. At that point the question is no longer "which brand" but which construction and which silk: a Como 3-fold at €160 or a 7-fold at €180, initials included, against a Neapolitan or Milanese classic at the same price. Neither is the wrong choice; ours is the one that can say where the thread comes from.
How to compare for yourself
- Ask where the silk is woven. If the answer is "Italy", ask where in Italy.
- Look at the back: slip stitch and bar tack mean hand work.
- Count folds only if you know why you want them: the guide 3, 5, 7 or 9 folds explains what changes.
- Divide the price by the years you will wear it. A hand-sewn tie in dense silk lasts decades.
FAQ
Is there a cheaper handmade alternative to Drake's?
Yes, in Italian workshops: Bigi, Calabrese 1924 and the Como tie makers sew by hand between €100 and €200. What you will not find elsewhere is the Drake's design archive.
Marinella or Lorenzi Como?
Marinella if you want the Neapolitan print and the in-store experience. Lorenzi Como if you want declared Como silk, a 7-fold at €180 and embroidered initials at no surcharge.
Can a €160 tie be the same quality as a €300 one?
In silk and sewing, yes, when the supply chain is short. What changes at €300 is the brand, the shop and the distribution.
