The Mark Francis Lavalliere Cravat Collection

The Lavalliere Cravat is named after the Duchess of La Valliere, (a mistress of King Louis XIV) and was first popularised in 19th Century France by artists, students and intellectuals alike.  Reinvented in the 20th Century in films as well as by designers such as Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, it is once again a neck wear wardrobe staple.

What is the Mark Francis Lavalliere Cravat I hear you ask. Well in its simplest form it’s a long thin piece of fabric which can be worn in any number of ways and is a truly unisex item of clothing. These are fashioned in a way that can be worn round the neck as a tie, in your hair, as a belt or a long thin scarf. They’re just over 2 meters long, 2.5 cm wide at its narrowest point in the middle and gently flaring out around 7 cm at each pointed end. I am offering a selection in beautiful Liberty Tana Cotton Lawn, Cotton and Silk fabrics.

The inspiration for the Lavalliere comes from a love of Victorian tailoring and a love of my favourite TV programme, Doctor Who. You may remember that the Sixth Doctor played by Colin Baker in the 1980’s wore a similar garment in a polka dot fabric. It’s now an item I much prefer to wear over a conventional gentleman’s tie. It offers something which can be dressing up or worn more casually and looks cracking with a shirt or blouse. It’s a different take on modern neck wear which frankly needs a shake up!

These pieces are all hand made or order by myself and sent out wrapped in tissue paper to protect the garment.