A name HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW!

THIS IS NOT A SPOILER!
Despite the initial tone of this entry, there are no spoilers relating to any unbroadcast episodes

With the Tenth Doctor’s ties very much back in the news lately, I have come across something I had never previously known - and something which if you’re a Tennant fan know you will kick yourself over.

The final episode of Series Seven, due in only a few weeks, is titled The Name Of The Doctor and is already dividing fans before the plot is even truly known.

Back in The Wedding Of River Song the disembodied head of Dorium made his ominous prediction:

It's all still waiting for you: the fields of Trenzalore, the fall of the Eleventh, and the question!
The first question! The question that must never be answered, hidden in plain sight. The question you've been running from all your life. Doctor who? Doctor who? Doc-tor *who*?

Well - this hasn’t ANYTHING to do with The Name Of The Doctor, but it does relate to names in plain view.

One of the most popular ties worn by the Tenth Doctor was Tie Four, the Christian Lacroix - commonly known as the swirly tie.

Well, it appears there is more to those random swirls and patterns than meets the eye.

I came across a listing on eBay for old Lacroix tie dating from the 1990s - and it has a very interesting label inside the lining of the tie.

The logo incorporates an abstract twisted line, something very in during the 1990s, forming a C and L for Christian Lacroix - and it is a perfect match to the swirl at the bottom of the Swirly tie!

That bottom piece of the design IS the Christian Lacroix logo, bold as brass, three inches square - HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW!

How did we miss that?!

St George’s day

Today is April 23rd - St George’s day - the patron saint of England! So how appropriate to talk about Tie Ten, the St George by Duffer tie.

I keep an eye on eBay for any screen accurate Tennant ties almost as a matter of habit. It’s a lonely quest and often fruitless.

There are two divisions of ties: the cheap and plentiful (such as the Thomas Nash, Daniel Hechter and St George by Duffer) which retailed for £15 to £20; and the more expensive and exclusive (such as Christian Lacroix, Giorgio Armani and Nina Ricci) which retailed for £60 plus.

The problem is the cheaper ties, although many more were made, they are seen as cheap and cheerful so not worth anything. They tend to end up in the bin or given to a charity shop.

The more expensive ties tend to be retained due to their price, but if they are unwanted have a chance of appearing on eBay.

This week saw two Tenth Doctor ties, one from each group (though one was a colourway variation) up for sale on eBay.

ST GEORGE BY DUFFER TIE

So far I’ve reported on a good half dozen of this ties over the past couple of years. When they do come up they often have a low start price, but once a couple of Tennant fans spot them they soon rocket in value. This one selling for over £70

GIORGIO ARMANI TIE

I’ve seen this Giorgio Armani tie once before, and have this colourway myself.

It is totally identical in weave to the brown and blue version worn by the Tenth Doctor, but this one is in shades of grey. it is just like a black and white photograph!

The Australian seller of this tie was out for a quick sale, and it sold for a meagre AU$20!

A bargain if ever I saw one - real pity it wasn’t in the right colour :(

That didn't take long!

I've barely got home from buying a few ties myself, and I see others are already appearing on eBay!
Strike while the iron’s hot I suppose, and to be fair, that’s not a bad price considering.

St George by Duffer tie as worn by David Tennant

St George by Duffer
Doctor Who cosplay

SOLD OUT!

Tenth Doctor Tie Index - UPDATE

With all this news of NEW ties for the Tenth Doctor, I thought it right to get my Tie Index bang up to date.
I’ve therefore added the St George by Duffer tie, and some nice pack-shot images.

I’m gonna do some other detail views of the tie soon for those who can’t get hold of one, so check back soon.

Tie Thirteen

Only seen in: 50th Anniversary Special (title TBC)

Maker: St George by Duffer

Description: Dark brown with semi-random floral design of blue flowers and bronze foliage

St George by Duffer tie - a definitive comparison

I’ve spent the past couple of days visiting various high street branches of Debenhams, seeking out the St George by Duffer tie that the Tenth Doctor will be wearing in the upcoming 50th Anniversary Special.

Some things have come to light which I think it is worth mentioning to help clarify the situation and dispel some myths circulating online.

First up, the correct tie being worn is the Blue Jacquard Floral Tie, which I gave the link to a couple of days ago.

This, as many people have now discovered, is out of stock on the website and several people I know had their orders cancelled even when it was in stock, citing insufficient items. Basically they oversold it.

However, there is an alternative, called the Brown Jacquard Floral SLIM Tie.

On the website it looks to be the same pattern, but with a darker background.

You can see by putting the two side-by-side they are notably different.

With this in mind I was looking out for the two versions of the ties in-store.

When I did find them, I discovered the following:

• The wider screen-worn tie is way rarer than its narrow counterpart. I saw a dozen narrow for every one wide.
• The narrow tie is made from exactly the same fabric as the wider one, in precisely the same colour. 
• There are subtle differences in manufacture between the two, but only cosmetic and nothing that notices once worn
• The slim tie is only narrower by 1cm at the widest point

Here are some proper side-by-side comparision pictures to show you. The slim tie is on the left, the screen-worn on the right.

As you can clearly see, the two versions of the tie are made from exactly the same fabric. There is no difference in the pattern at all.

So - let the bun fight commence!

Now the new Tenth Doctor tie is positively identified, the rush is on the grab the available stock before they sell out.

This is very much a phnonom of the past few years, and was something that never seemed to happen while David Tennant was in the role.
No-one paid much attention to The Doctors ties - it was all Rose Tyler jackets and jeans. It wasn’t really until the Bonhams auction that any of the labels were really widely known, and that was well after Matt Smith took over the role.

Around that time we had the ID on the Eleventh Doctor's Paul Smith shirt; TopMan jeans; and All Saints Layer Boots, the later of which were highly prised at the time.

So to now see the mad rush over a Tennant tie seems out of place!

But who can resist? If you’re a big Ten fan, and there’s a tie sitting in your local branch of Debenhams - you’re gonna want it, especially if its only £14!

So yes, I’ve got sucked into this frenzy of tie hunting, and yesterday spent a fair part of my time traveling around the stores within striking distance of where I live.

I happened to be near Hemel Hempstead first thing in the morning, so was waiting outside their doors at 9am like some sad bargain hunter in the sales!

I didn’t have too much time, so I quickly found the menswear department and their substantial tie display.

Scanning through all the ties is like reading my Tie Index, with Thomas Nash, Rocha John Rocha and finally St George by Duffer.

And sure enough, there it was.
It’s funny to see the tie on the rack just waiting to be picked up.

Of all the ties on sale, this is the only one that conforms to Louise Page’s criteria for a tie to go with the brown suit. To be appropriate it must be mainly dark brown, with a pattern or accent in light or sky blue.

Moving on I took a train into London and first went to the Westfield shopping centre at Shepherds Bush.

Their tie display was hidden out of sight behind a wall, so took me a moment or two to find!

Again it came up trumps, but this time only one of the screen accurate ties was on the rack.

If you look in the photo (above) you might be able to see it on the bottom rack, about centre.

I nabbed the tie and moved on to Debenhams flagship store on London’s Oxford Street.

The store is going though some MAJOR renovations with only one of the three escalators working, so finding my way down the the menswear in the basement was a challenge! It proved a bit fruitless as there were none of the screen accurate ties on the shelves at all. I guess some Ten cosplayers has been here before me. Good lads!

From here I headed north to Harrow, which has a shopping centre I used to visit a lot in my youth when I lived in the borough.

This was to be my last store visit today and proved to be rewarding, with three of the screen accurate ties just waiting for me to buy them.

As you may work out, I have a tie for myself and a few spares. If you are having difficultly obtaining a tie, let me know as I might be able to help out.
Please mail me at tennantcoat@me.com 

The Thirteenth Reunion

After the excitement in Trafalgar Square last week, filming continues apace on the 50th Anniversary episode.

It’s been widely reported and is common knowledge that David Tennant is back as the Tenth Doctor.

He has been spotted filming with his TARDIS, but as yet he has not been seen in costume with Matt Smith - until today!

They have been shooting at Chepstow castle, and some pictures have emerged on Twitter and Tumblr.

Matt and David can be seen being interviewed by Lizo Mzimba, who regularly reports on the antics of the Doctor Who crew.

But a picture of greater interest to me shows David walking onto set, in costume, and wearing A NEW TIE!

Knowing the ties inside out, I can confirm this is NOT a tie previously worn.

We'll have to call it Tie Thirteen!

But through the interviews I did with Louise Page, and knowing the labels of eleven of the twelve ties worn by the Tenth Doctor, I have some insight into where the ties were sourced.

Tie Three (Yves Saint Laurent), Tie Four (Christian Laxroix), Tie Seven (Giorgio Armani), Tie Eight (Nina Ricci) all came from prestige store Selfridges, and cost £60 plus when new.

Tie Two (Daniel Hechter), Tie Five (Thomas Nash), Tie Ten (St George by Duffer) were found at Debenhams, a more modestly priced department store where they were around £20 when new.

My first point of searching was the cheaper option, and it took me 30 seconds to stumble across a St George by Duffer tie in brown with a blue floral design.

I think we have a match - and it’s only £14 new! RESULT!!

Debenhams.com
St George by Duffer
Blue jacquard floral tie

The Infinite Quest

Have you ever wondered how I create the patterns I use for my costumes?
Ever been curious as to how I source my fabrics and materials?
How about how I tailor my coats so they look sharp and professional?

Well, if you are attending Gallifrey One in just over a week you can find out!

As part of the cosplay track over the convention, a variety of discussion panels and presentations are taking place covering all aspects and ability levels of costume making are scheduled.
From the basic Cosplay 101 for beginners; through special panels on dressing as The Doctor and his companions; as well as how to build monsters and aliens from the shows 50 year history.

I've sat in on a couple of these panels over the two years I have been going, and last year I unintentionally dominated a panel while talking about The Ultimate Tennant Suit. Luckily my fellow panelists were totally okay with how things went as everyone in the room, them included, were captivated by my talk.

So this year I have been given a dedicated solo panel to discuss taking costume making to the next level.

My plans are to talk extensively about the Ultimate Six Frock Coat, the Tom Baker Frock Coat I made last year, as well as a few surprises along the way.
I will show the earliest cosplay project I ever made (which I still have) and tell of the path that has lead me to where I am now.
I shall explain the ethos of the work I do and the vintage sources I use for the patterns that make the coats I am known for.

I do hope that if you are at Gallifrey One this year you will come along and hear what I have to say and see close up the costumes I shall have with me to illustrate my talk.

Oh, and there will be free Jammie Dodgers......

THE INFINITE QUEST

3pm Saturday 16th Feb 2013

All welcome

St George strikes back

Well, you wait for ages for a tie, and two come along right after the other!

Barely has my keyboard cooled down from giving you a heads-up on a St George by Duffer tie on eBay, a second one appears close on it heals.

The first auction had a BuyItNow of US$320 and within 24 hours of my posting it was snapped up - by one of my readers no less!

This latest auction is a bit fairer as it is a simple listing with a starting price of £25 - though at time of writing this is now £94.83.

ST GEORGE by DUFFER Tie - as worn by DAVID TENNANT in DR WHO

Brown Tie with Floral Pattern
by
St. George by Duffer

Of the style worn in 3 episodes of
DR WHO
by
DAVID TENNANT

Tie is in Excellent pre-owned condition

The return of St George

I’ve spotted something on eBay that has become a rarity compared to a year or two back - an original St George by Duffer tie, aka Tie Ten from my Tie Index.

This was one of the few ties that seemed to pop up form time to time, but it’s been a while since I’ve seen one for sale.

The US seller seems to be a Doctor Who fan, as he knows the provenance of the tie and its value.
That said Magnoli does do a passable replica, so the demand for this particular tie has been satisfied elsewhere (though it is currently out of stock).

At time of writing it has a BuyItNow for US$320 - which frankly is not beyond what these ties have gone for in the past - so if you want one NOW’S YOUR CHANCE!

St.George by Duffer Doctor Who Necktie David Tennant Costume Cosplay

Auction is for one St. George by Duffer necktie, as worn by David Tennant’s 10th Doctor in three episodes of Doctor Who - Utopia, The Sounds of Drums, and Last of the Time Lords, at the finale of season 3.

This item is long discontinued and extremely sought after by Doctor Who fans. Tie is a delicate blue floral pattern on a chocolate brown background. This is also an extremely interesting little tie in it's own right, and goes beautifully as an accessory to your brown suit! One of these ties was worn by John Simm in Life On Mars.

As bidding often becomes competitive for "as-worn-by" Doctor Who items, we have included a buy it now option so you can snap this tie up.

Replica Giorgio Armani Tie - Magnoli Second Incarnation

This month sees the release by Magnoli Clothiers of a second version of their Giorgio tie - a replica of Tie Seven (the Giorgio Armani).

Here is my review

This month has seen the release of a third, and much improved Swirly tie from online costume makers Magnoli Clothiers. It’s a very popular tie with fans, so great to see a decent replica widely available.

Previously they have gone through as many drafts of their replica of Tie Two (Daniel Hechter).

This demonstrates a level of dedication to review and revise their ties, each being a step up from the previous.

I wish I could say the same for the latest version of Tie Seven (Giorgio Armani) which has taken a bizarre route from the first draft.

Previously a replica had been made, copied directly from an original Giorgio Armani tie, though the source was a different colourway option in blue.

The weave was pretty much bang on, but for some unknown reason the two shades of brown were transposed, making the dominant colour a lighter, warmer brown.

So when I heard on the grapevine a new version of the tie was already in the pipeline, I was excited to see what had been done to improve on it, as only switching the browns would be enough to make it very near perfect.

I ordered my tie, and when it arrived I was what I can only describe as perplexed. The weave is the same as before but the colours have been changed to a dusty blue - just like the colourway option the first tie had been copied from to get the weave correct.

Why on earth this tie has been made I do not know. Maybe someone can enlighten me. But it is a backward step and further from the screen-worn tie than ever.

It’s a same the first draft tie is now out of stock as I would recommend sticking with that.
Sorry to be so negative, but even at US$45 it is not worth the effort to buy it.

I’ll wait to see what draft three brings...

Replica Christian Lacroix Tie - Magnoli Third Incarnation!

This month sees the release by Magnoli Clothiers of a third, and improved version of their Swirly tie - a replica of Tie Four (the Christian Lacroix).

Here is my review

Aside from trawling eBay for the occasional hotly fought as-worn ties; or finding something that is evocative or similar to the tie you are looking for, there is another option – a rewoven copy by online costume maker Magnoli Clothiers.

Over the past four or so years Magnoli has produced copies of Tie Two (Daniel Hechter); Tie Four (Christian Lacroix) Tie Seven (Giorgio Armani); and Tie Ten (St George by Duffer).

It has taken several drafts to get the ties to something near screen-accurate.
The earliest version of Tie Two (Daniel Hechter) was printed, and though was replaced with a woven version the pattern was not changed. The latest incarnation is to a better pattern, but is not quite the right colours.

Tie Four (Christian Lacroix) has gone through two drafts to date, though the latter was a woven version of the appliquéd copy seen in The Eleventh Hour, so wasn’t quite right on several levels.

But this month has seen the release of further update to Tie Four, this time replicating its main original appearance in The Girl In The Fireplace (it did appear briefly in other episodes, but since Louise Page herself regards The Girl In The Fireplace as its main use, I see it as that too).

Since February this year, when I found my original colourway version of the Christian Lacroix tie, the pressure has been on to make a more faithful version.

The second draft Magnoli had improved the pattern, but it was out of scale with the real thing, something that was difficult to match without having an original in-hand to work to.

So, using the images from my posting a new version has been redrawn from scratch, correcting many of the errors in the pattern seen in the previous version.

The colour has also been improved, though I’m of the opinion it has gone a bit too far.