A friend from Boston was in town and he wanted to venture to the Lower East Side to take a peek at the Alexander Olch Tie Shop. I had no idea what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. All of the ties are made by hand, and if you don’t see something out on display, take a look in the many, many drawers. Each is labeled, and further filled to brim with different options.

The space looks more like a gallery, as it’s all white and incredibly sparse. Gallery lighting is focused precisely on a wide variety of ties and bow ties, which are laid out like candy in a fancy Parisian shoppe. You can ooh-and-ahh at the various materials, textures, and sizes, as there really seems to be a little bit of everything here.

I found one drawer filled with black and white options that I adored. Rich velvets, textured silks, lace-overlay, tweed, wool — standard ties and fanciful bow ties.

My style is pretty simple and streamlined, and it doesn’t veer towards preppy very often. I have a black silk bow tie that I love but never get to wear, and I have a surprisingly large collection of vintage bow ties. The options at Alexander Olch capture the spirit of my own collection, while expanding upon the idea and really offering something for everyone.

WHERE: 14 Orchard St. (at Canal St.)
New York, NY 10002
212-925-2110

HOURS: Monday-Sunday 11-7