Countess Mara

Countess Mara, founded in 1935 by Lucila Mara de Vescovi, was a menswear fashion label specialising in high-end pictorial neckties. The brand has been owned by Randa Accessories since 1998.

History

Lucilla Mara de Vescovi was born in Rome in 1893. She married Malcolm Whitman, an American singles tennis champion, in 1926. In 1930, following an argument about her husband's dull ties, his wife made him one from silk dress material.^[1]

In 1932, Whitman committed suicide. His grief-stricken widow subsequently travelled throughout Europe, where she purchased fabrics and brought them back to New York with the intention of launching a career making men's ties.^[1][2]

Countess Mara

Following her return to New York, Lucilla de Vescovi Whitman founded her men's neckwear company in 1935. She branded herself "Countess Mara". While Mara was her second name, the company name might have been inspired by a 18th century Kneller portrait of the Countess de Mar wearing a loosely tied Steinkirk cravat.^[3]

Countess Mara ties featured several novel marketing decisions. She had her initials featured on the outside blade of each tie, ensuring that they were instantly recognizable.^[4] The ties were made in very limited quantities, typically only fifteen dozen per design, and they were comparatively expensive.^[2][4] This led to their becoming collector's items, sought after by celebrities and fashion-conscious businessmen.^[4] Other tie manufacturers, noticing her success, copied her business model and hired artists to imitate her tie designs.^[4] Mara did not mind this, saying in 1949 that being imitated had "expanded the acceptablity of the pictorial tie".^[5]

In 1944 Countess Mara was awarded the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award in recognition of the influence her ties had had upon fashion.

One of the most high-profile wearers of Countess Mara neckwear was Frank Sinatra, who sometimes wore one-of-a-kind custom ties made especially for him by the firm.^[6]

Designs

Countess Mara tried to make her ties colourful, interesting and artistic, while avoiding spectacular and showy designs.^[5] She described her ties as "jungles" populated with trees, flowers and animals.^[5] However, her ties also featured a wide range of other subjects, including:^[2]

Tennis Polo Skiing Egyptian hieroglyphs Astrological signs Musical instruments

Giraffes Camels Bison Deer Sheep Zebras Squirrels Fauns

Lobsters Fish Sea urchins Performing seals Mermaids Insects Dragonflies Fairies

Vultures Owls Turkeys Geese Magicians Lady Godiva Dancing girls The Devil

Safety-pins Playing cards Cacti Sea shells Mice Foxes Key-rings Torn love-letters

Countess Mara Today

The Countess Mara brand was purchased in March 1998 by Randa Accessories, a major manufacturer and distributor of men's neckwear.^[7] Countess Mara belts, leather goods, neckwear, shirts, sportswear, and other products and accessories are retailed worldwide.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Goldberg, Michael J. (1997). The Ties That Blind: Neckties 1945-1975. Schiffer. ISBN 0887409822. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Ettinger, Roseann (1999). 20th Century Neckties: pre-1955. Schiffer. ISBN 0764305786. 
3. ^ Gibbings, Sarah (1990). The Tie: Trends and Traditions. Barrons Educational Series Inc. ISBN 0812061993. 
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Dyer, Rod; Spark, Ron (1987). Fit To Be Tied: Vintage Ties of the Forties and Early Fifties. Abbeville Press. ISBN 0896597563. 
5. ^ ^{a b c} "Interview with Countess Mara". The New York Times. February 1949. 
6. ^ Images and references from the Estate of Frank Sinatra
7. ^ NY Times, March 1998