b'STYLEOpposite, from top: the 1960s Carnaby Street set look; iconic fashion designer Michael Fish TIE S HAVE GIVEN ME JOY, BEEN THE C AUSE OF MANY AN ARGUMENT AND S OME TIME S AMUSED ME 62sometimes amused me. Perhaps the best early indication of the powergentlemen was de rigueur. During my time at the Hyde Park Hotel the tie would have on my life was in 1968, when I went to a midnightand The Savoy, appearance was everything. We were told that the screening of The Boston Strangler in Colchester. The film was muchguest is always right in almost everything, apart from their dress.hyped due to the split-screen effect, which was being used for the firstOnce, I refused to allow a gentleman in a zip-up jacket to enter the time in a major motion picture. In those days, I was a jacket-and-cravatThames Foyer as he was wearing a blouson that did not conform to sort of youth and I was always conscious of my appearance. On arrivalour interpretation of what a jacket was. A jacket buttons up, a blouson at the Odeon Colchester, I discovered that a college friend was thezips up, I remonstrated. What I did not realise is that the gentleman doorman. I greeted him, but he stopped me from entering, pointingin question was a well-known stage actor. He promptly went to the out that the friend who was accompanying me was not wearing a tie.Evening Standard newspaper with the story, and had the last word, /Getty; Adam Nickel Hulton ArchiveI thought he was joking and this reference must be somehow connecteddescribing me as a flunkey.with the film. However, it transpired that this was actually to do withIt was at The Savoy that my passion for ties really first came to Colchester being a garrison town and the belief that a dress code for thethe fore. One day, walking from the hotel to the Strand with my wife, cinema would lead to an avoidance of any drunken brawlsI assumea beautiful tie in the window of Savoy Taylors Guild caught my eye. the idea was that gentlemen wear ties and brawlers do not. I offered toI commented to my wife how beautiful it was and how I would cut my cravat in two and give my friend the other half. The doormanlike to own it. The price was almost in three figures and I hesitated. agreed and thus began my life as an arbiter of fashion.However, encouraged by my wife, I popped into the shop and My career in hospitality ensured that I was constantly awarepurchased it. I wore it a lot and it was much admired, and that of dress codes. In restaurants, in those days, jacket and tie forwas when my interest inand love ofreally nice ties took hold.'