Rankings of the "best tie brands" lump Armani, Hermès and Marinella together as if they were the same thing. They are not: a fashion house buys ties from a workshop, a workshop sews them. This list includes only Italian workshops that sew by hand and sell under their own name, with four verifiable criteria: city, construction, published price, transparency about the silk. We are in the list, judged by the same criteria. Prices as of October 2026.
The ten workshops
| Workshop | City, since | Construction | Price | Silk declared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E. Marinella | Naples, 1914 | Neapolitan classic, archive prints | €160–300 | Printed, origin not per piece |
| Kiton | Naples | Seven-fold, no interlining | about €340 | No |
| Calabrese 1924 | Naples, 1924 | 3-, 5-, 7-fold, hand-rolled edges | €100–230 | No |
| Ulturale | Naples, 1980s | Neapolitan classic | see site | No |
| Francesco Marino | San Giorgio a Cremano (Naples) | 3- and 7-fold, hand cut and rolled | €110–150 | No |
| Fefè Napoli | Naples, 2011 | Classic, bright prints | about €100 | No |
| Bigi Cravatte | Milan, 1938 | Classic and seven-fold, own fabrics | €150–230 | Fabrics designed in house |
| Fumagalli 1891 | Milan 1891, archive in Como | Classic, archive prints, hand sewn | see site | Own prints |
| A. Picci | Como, historic shop | Classic, handmade | about €80 | "Made in Como" |
| Lorenzi Como | Lake Como | 3-fold, 7-fold, grenadine; hand-embroidered initials included | €160–200 | Como mill founded 1895, 112 picks/cm |
Sources for the Neapolitan and Milanese price ranges: Italy with Antonio (September 2026); for Como, the makers' own sites. Ranges move: check before buying.
How to read the table
Naples versus Como. Six names out of ten are Neapolitan: Naples is the school of sewing, with the seven-fold as its flag. Como is the silk district: three names work where the cloth is born. Milan has two historic workshops. There is no hierarchy, only a question: do you care more about who sews or who weaves?
Price does not track sewing quality. Between €100 and €230 you find hand sewing in all ten. Above €230 you pay for brand, shop and history, not for more hand stitches. Kiton is the technical exception: the unlined seven-fold uses twice the silk.
Almost nobody declares the silk. It is the emptiest column in the table. Those who do, Bigi with its own fabrics, Fumagalli with its prints, we with our mill, give you a piece of information the others keep to themselves.
Who is missing, and why
- Armani, Stefano Ricci, Gucci, Prada: fashion houses. Often excellent ties, but sewn by third-party workshops that are never named.
- Cappelli, Passaggio Cravatte, Shibumi: quality sartorial workshops, left out only because we found no comparable published prices at the date of this guide.
- Hermès, Drake's, Charvet: not Italian. The comparison with Drake's is on this page.
Three ways to choose
- You want the Neapolitan print and a shop to walk into: Marinella, Ulturale, Calabrese.
- You want the seven-fold as an object: Kiton if the budget allows, Francesco Marino or Lorenzi Como under €200.
- You want to know where the silk comes from: the Como workshops. The difference between weaving and sewing is explained in tie makers of Como.
FAQ
What is the most famous Italian tie brand?
E. Marinella, for history and clientele. Famous does not mean right for everyone: its strength is print, not grenadine or seven-fold.
How much does a good handmade Italian tie cost?
Between €100 and €200 you get hand sewing and quality silk from at least six of the workshops listed. Under €80 it is almost always machine made.
Are the fashion houses' "made in Italy" ties handmade?
Some are, by third-party workshops. The label does not say; the back of the tie does: slip stitch and bar tack mean hand work.
