"Kravatic" fashion show and exhibition

How did one of the greatest symbols of Croats come to life in my conceptual project? Find out in today's blog what the imaginative tie show in Križevci was like in Zagreb. I will also reveal to you who was the original creator of this tie project that I was so looking forward to while preparing it with young artists from the Academy of Fine Arts .

Even though enough time has passed for the first impressions to settle, the very thought of the process of creating a necktie show and exhibition still brings a smile to my face and butterflies in my stomach. I am in love with art , creative creation that comes from imagination and skillful hands.

We offered the people of Križevci something completely different!

I love Križevci. Being a part of events that are important for my city is pure pleasure. The Koprivnica-Križevci County Craft and Economic Fair, which is traditionally held in Križevci, is one of those events with tradition, reason and meaning , which I always attend with joy. Considering that I have already presented my jewelry twice at this widely known craft fair, the logical sequence was to participate in the last fair, the 25th in a row, which took place from November 10 to 12, 2023.

As a naturalized Križevci resident, I attend every year and try to offer something new, something never seen before. That was the case this time as well.

"Tie"

For me, it always has to be “a little different” because I don’t know different, but different. This year I wanted to offer my fellow citizens and guests of the city something completely different . With the help of young artists, “ Kravatična” was created - a unique fashion and art project .

Thought, idea, symbolism, paper, another direction, return to direction number 1. Ah, give it a day! Here it is again. Yes, that's it!

That was roughly how the story of the tie show began. Marta (for those who don't know, that's my daughter) and I and a new idea that just came to us. And the students of the Academy of Fine Arts, Marta's colleagues, wonderful children, people I've been following (most of them) since my first year of study. I hear about them, I go to exhibitions. I follow their development. The journey. Youth with so much diversity. I love these kids. I love what they do.

And so "Kravatična" was born - a magazine whose theme was one of the most striking symbols of Croats: the tie.

The story of the tie

A tie is an ornament that has evolved into different styles throughout history. And history attributes the invention of the tie to our people. Thus, it began its journey of glory from small Croatia to spread across the European continent in the 17th century thanks to Croatian soldiers in the Thirty Years' War. Namely, the scarf tied around the neck of Croatian soldiers was their trademark . The tie was first embraced by the French, who popularized the name cravate . Another interesting fact is related to the tie, Croats and the French language. Due to the work performed by Croatian mercenaries in the royal service, the verb cravater came to life in the French language, which means to arrest, catch, arrest .

French writer Francois Chaille, in his book “The Great History of the Cravat,” writes about the period around 1635, when about 6,000 soldiers and knights arrived in Paris in support of the French King Louis XIII. Among them were a large number of Croatian mercenaries led by the Ban. He points out that the traditional uniform with tied, painted scarves around the neck attracted great attention from the French court .

On May 20, 1667 , the French King Louis XIV decided to establish the Régiment de Cavalerie Royal-Cravates , or the Royal Croat Cavalry Regiment. Did you know that the very next month, the king himself, head and beard, appeared in public for the first time with a new fashion detail around his neck , the trademark of the Royal Croat Cavalry Regiment? However, some historians claim that the king was already wearing a cravat as a seven-year-old boy in 1646 , thus starting the fashion standard among French nobles . Thus was born the style a la Croate , or in the Croatian way , and the scarf that the Croats tied around their necks in a knot became the forerunner of today's classic cravat, or the first cravat . The cravat was brought to England by Charles II upon his return from exile, and then this elegant fashion detail conquered other Europeans.

Interesting facts about ties

Did you know that in France, the tie eventually became a symbol of progress ? During the French Revolution, black ties were worn as a sign of protest against outdated ideas .

Britannica and other encyclopedias write that the first official wearing of a tie was recorded in 1656 .

Did you know that October 18th has been celebrated as Cravat Day since 2008 ? The Croatian Parliament declared it a special tribute to this fashion detail.

It all started with Marijan Bušić's installation "Tie around the Arena" on October 18, 2003. On that day, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest and longest tie in the world was tied around the Pula Arena. It weighed nearly 800 kilograms, was 8 m wide (26 m at its widest point). It is also fascinating to note that the knot of the tie alone was 9 m deep, and that no less than ten thousand meters of cloth and 120 km of thread were used. The largest tie in the world had a noble message that it sent to the world - openness, cordiality and love .

How important the tie is to us Croatians as a symbol of identity is also shown by the founding of the institution Academia Cravatica from Zagreb, which is dedicated to the study, preservation and promotion of the tie as a Croatian and world heritage .

Do you know how to tie a tie?

Or are you one of those who asks for help? Did you know that there are more than one way to tie a tie?

I will touch on the 5 most popular knots :

• simple knot
• double knot
• small knot
• classic windsor knot - invented by the Duke of Windsor (ex King Edward VIII, the one who abdicated for love ;))
• half-windsor knot.

Now watch this! Cambridge researchers Thomas Fink and Yong Mao managed to calculate using mathematical modeling that there are as many as 85 theoretical possibilities for tying a standard tie knot, limiting the number of moves to 9. Only about 10 of the 85 knots correspond to common notions of being symmetrical.

Universal decoration

A tie is a universal decoration. Perfect for, I'm going back to that, "a little different". Today, it is a universally accepted men's elegant fashion detail for business and formal occasions all over the world. But it is increasingly and more often worn by strong women, women with an attitude, women with a unique style, and it is precisely for such women that I like to make jewelry .

How did the preparations for the " Kravatična" project begin? It was more complex than it seemed at first. We were a little pressed for time, but that didn't deter us. Dunja , our organizing and marketing head, and Marta created a very transparent and educational guide through the project for the entire team. Every detail was included so that there would be no confusion, which resulted in a quick reaction and a quick start of work for everyone involved. In short, the students were given a piece of canvas that they could shape and color as they wanted. They were supposed to leave a smaller square on top for me to sew on a knot, which I made from precious metals. And no, it wasn't 9 m deep like the one in the largest ties around the Arena, but much smaller, so it was tactile to make, which required a lot of time.

The reaction to the idea was amazing. They are all creatives. Working on a project that was totally different from anything they had done before resulted in a fascinatingly bright, bold and unexpected outcome. So much wonder, uniqueness, individuality, multiplicity and universality on every canvas. The finish at the Academy, accelerated, completed preparations, but laughter, positivity and company were a sign that we succeeded.

"Kravatična" - a fashion show for ties at the Craft and Economic Fair in Križevci

Twelve young artists, French chansons as a musical leitmotif, a light step, a decoration around the neck that combines history, music and fashion.

In this poetic dance, each knot on the tie becomes a musical note on the score of their lives, creating harmony between the past and the present. Their art is not just the jewelry they wear, but the vibration in the physics of their emotions, ideas and inspirations that intertwine in the rhythm of their own creation. And as their steps glide lightly and French charm echoes in the air, this young artistic troupe becomes a living masterpiece that combines spiritual heritage with contemporary expression.

I could not imagine better models than themselves, who carried their works with such charm and attitude and made it clear what the artist wanted to say. Of course, allowing us to create our own associations and connotations.

15 creative ties, 12 young artists from the Academy of Fine Arts

This show was created by twelve young artists, together with me: Mia Markušić, Marta Dijak, Filip Karpišek, Karlo Fintić, Marcel Vugec, Ana Pintić, Nikolina Vrdoljak, Franka Vrljić, Katarina Kocijan, Mihaela Rašica, Lara Trupinović, Marta Katavić.

They used different techniques: oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas, collage, mosaic, thread, wool, acrylic, glass, charcoal, epoxy resin.

This collaboration, a symbiosis of my experience and their enthusiastic youth, has brought me much joy.

It was a wonderful, slightly different evening, which continued in our spirit. It was a time of curses, Martin's Day, and gatherings. Let's conclude - it was cravat-style, "Martinastic", fantastic!

My contribution to this project - a tie studded with semi-precious stones

We presented 16 ties, one of which is mine, encrusted with semi-precious stones. I symbolically named it "Combination with 16" because we had so many ties in total, so I incorporated so many stones into it as a reminder of this unforgettable experience. The artists used various techniques, and I used different types of semi-precious stones, which today adorn my necktie : aquamarine, turquoise, jasper, agate, Brac stone, amethyst, malachite, zoisite in ruby, chalcopyrite, tourmaline, labradorite.

Each tie is a special story of creative girls and boys. The show was bursting with color. Speaking of colors, do you know what the official interpretation of colors is in the world of ties?

Red = power, wealth, strength, passion, motivation

Blue = peace, composure, perseverance and longevity

Yellow = positive atmosphere, vitality, warmth, good energy

Green = growth, renewal, desire to learn, knowledge

Brown = down-to-earth, realistic, poised, reliable

Black = formality, elegance, seriousness, sadness

See what colors young artists used and how art interprets colors in its own way. Each tie is unique, none is similar to another. For all of you who were not at the fashion show or saw our exhibition, take a look at the "Kravatična" photo gallery.

And after the tie, the tie!

As the crown of this project, the pop-up exhibition "Kravatična" followed in my exhibition and sales gallery in Zagreb, Praška 6. I saw this exhibition as a perfect gift for the gallery's third birthday because it was enriched with young energy and what I really care about. This is how we build our path, which is to support young artists.

A wonderful introductory speech was given by Ms. Iva Körbler , an art critic, which further enhanced the overall impression of the grand opening of the exhibition, which took place on December 4, 2023. That month was full of numerous cultural events for me and my staff in the gallery. Thus, the most festive month of the year in our gallery was even more festive than usual. Namely, on December 21, 2023, we solemnly opened the exhibition of another distinguished Croatian artist of world renown, Duško Šibl, “The Circle is Closing”, which is currently underway and will last until April 1, 2024. Enough time to set aside a day to enjoy the masterpieces of fine art. The doors of our gallery are wide open to you.

Message to young artists

At the end of the blog, I want to address every artist who is at the beginning of their professional journey.

Create with passion and originality. Your art is a unique story that only you can tell. Let every step be your authentic mark in the art world. Don't forget that your contribution has the power to inspire others.