While Tie Your Tie is famous for its owner Franco Minucci and manager Simone Righi, there was actually another key player: Leonardo Tazzari. Beyond his talent, which Franco recognized as his right-hand man, he was indispensable in making Tie Your Tie an even stronger organization. This is the side story of this renowned establishment, told by a third man.


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"When I decided to take a job in Thailand, my sister gave me a book about Thai history as a gift. That's how I learned about the settepieghe. Apparently, the sama, a folded sword unfolded, used to be called a cobra. Speaking of cobras, they were a familiar creature in India where I wandered. I felt like I was being guided somehow."

Seven-fold tie. This tie, made with twice the amount of fabric as a conventional tie and without interlining, catches the wind at the chest and sways gently. It was Leonardo Tazzari who spotlighted this classic tie, which would later become an icon of Tie Your Tie.

Even such a prominent figure had a winding road to reach his current position.

At the age of 18, Leonardo took on every kind of job imaginable. Clothing stores and sporting goods shops were obvious choices, but he also worked in cafes and car dealerships. His so-called "journey of self-discovery" led him to India. This wandering would ultimately shape Leonardo's life.


"Everything was just so intense. I was particularly impressed by the colors. They were matte, yet powerful. Compared to India, the Italian colors were vibrant. I had decided to go for six months and returned, but I felt an irresistible attraction and ended up staying for over a year."

Having somehow managed to survive, Leonardo knocked on the door of Manifecta Crabatta, hoping to make use of the sense of color he had absorbed. Manifecta Crabatta was a Thai manufacturer that had just been established by four prominent industry figures. As Leonardo rapidly rose through the ranks, Franco Minucci appeared before him.


"At that time, Tie Your Tie's tie section was mainly comprised of Holiday & Brown ties. Franco was looking for a tie to replace Holiday & Brown, which was becoming more British in style. So, we decided to create our own original tie. That was in 1996."

Having established a foothold, Leonardo founded Greytie the following year, in 1997. This company quickly gained a reputation, and he was awarded OEM production contracts with numerous renowned brands. Before he knew it, his work with Tie Your Tie was being neglected. So, in 2005, he established Tie Your Tie SRL, deciding to dedicate himself entirely to Tie Your Tie as a group company.

Leonardo explains the reason as follows:


"No one understands elegance as well as Franco. What he taught me about elegance is not to say too much."

Of course, Franco couldn't have asked for a better partner.

Leonardo experienced both extremes of color. The melancholic tone that Tie Your Tie has arrived at exists only at the intersection of Italy and India. With Franco as its core, Tie Your Tie embodies unparalleled elegance.

To be continued in Part 2.