Bits Tailor’s 3D Printed Bow Ties Fuel a Parisian Fashion Phenomenon

The bow tie was a 19th century modification of its predecessor, the cravat, and by the 1880s, the bow tie was firmly entrenched as a must-have accessory for the fashion-conscious man. The tradition of wearing a knotted bit of fabric around the neck likely dates back to 17th Croatian soldiers of the Thirty Years War and French soldiers soon followed suit as they imported the look to their home nation.

The style was finally enshrined in men’s fashion when Pierre Lorillard designed his new formal wear innovation. Named for his family’s estate in Tuxedo Park near New York City, the Lorillard “tuxedo” was a massive style hit and, with its black bow tie, it became the go-to look for the fashionable man about town.

From Charlie Chaplin to Pee-wee Herman, from Fred Astaire to Frank Sinatra, and from Bill Nye the Science Guy to Orville Redenbacher, the bow is now a fashion statement with wide appeal.

Now Vanessa Magne and her brother, Cédric “Khan” Magne–the co-founders of a 3D printing company in Paris which creates custom and tailor-made 3D printed items “to allow everyone to freely express his personality and creativity by participating in the creation of the items bought”–have brought the bow tie into the modern era with a vengeance and the latest in technology.

Their site, Bits Tailor, allows people looking for unique fashion accessories to create those items “in a fun and simple way,” and the product lineup takes advantage of the 3D printing process as the company’s production method.

One of the featured products is the bow tie, and Vanessa Magne says it allows people to create “avant-garde and unseen shapes thanks to the unlimited possibilities offered by 3D printing.” Bits Tailor says the bow tie is a “timeless symbol of elegance revisited in a futuristic way.”

Through the company’s e-store, creating a bow tie is a relatively simple matter: select a favorite design from a variety of offerings, choose a color, and then type in the characters for a monogram that will be printed in middle of the bow tie. Each of the bow ties includes an adjustable, satin strap to fit any neck.

Bits Tailor also offers a “tailor-made” service. Bow ties cost between €59 and €89, or about $65 to $100 USD, each.

Bits Tailor also offers custom jewelry for women such as earrings and necklaces, and a line of phone cases are part of the lineup as well.

Magne also says that, by providing details and speaking with a designer about a particular product idea, clients are able to create a tailor-made item with the assistance of a Bits Tailor designer. Those ideas can be very quickly created with 3D printing via prototyping the final creation of an item.  She says each item is made-to-order, and then assembled and finished “by hand with love in Paris.”

Will you be buying a cutting edge bow tie from BitsTailor? Let us know in the 3D Printed Bow Ties forum thread on 3DPB.com.