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Countess Mara

In his book "The Ties That Blind: Neckties 1945-1975", writer Michael Jay Goldberg introduces Countess Mara as one of the most recognized names associated with vintage designer ties. Born Lucilla de Vescovi in Rome in 1893, Mara went on to marry Malcolm Whitman, a wealthy textile manufacturer, in 1926. Story has it that in 1930 an argument ensued between Mara and her husband over his donning what she felt was a very boring tie which resulted in Whitman challenging her to make a more interesting one. Mara gladly accepted, but a few setbacks slowed her progress. In 1932 Mr. Whitman committed suicide, and while Mara was left financially comfortable, she suffered emotionally over her husband's death. In an attempt to pull herself out of despair, Mara decided to travel throughout Europe. While traveling, Mara purchased some fabric and returned to New York to launch a career manufacturing men's ties.

The designer made several novel marketing decisions that catapulted her ties to popularity by 1938. In "Fit To Be Tied: Vintage Ties of the Forties and Early Fifties", writers Rod Dyer and Ron Spark note that Countess Mara created "exclusive ties", usually only fifteen dozen of each design. She prominently displayed her distinctive CM logo, included it as part of the tie design, and charged a hefty price. Mara's trademarked ties were such an instant success that other tie makers copied her business model and even hired artists to imitate the artistry in her ties.

Although Vescovi herself was no countess, she named her ties Countess Mara and integrated her trademarked name and CM logo with an open crown, often found on the bottom of her ties, to give them snob appeal. Interestingly enough, in "The Tie: Trends and Traditions" writer Sarah Gibbings includes a picture of The Countess de Mar shown wearing a loosely tied Steinkirk. It is difficult to say whether Countess Mara was familiar with this 18th century painting by Kneller or if her choice of brand name was merely coincidental; nonetheless, as Roseann Ettinger points out in "20th Century Neckties: Pre-1955", the designer's decision to severely limit quantities, and to offer visually appealing designs and unusual motifs at a hefty price further illustrates her formidable talent as a designer and genius for marketing.

Countess Mara's muse came from anywhere and everywhere. Her ties are decorated with a variety of subjects: Sporting themes include tennis, polo, and skiing. Flora and fauna incorporate giraffes, camels, bison, lobsters, ferns, fish, deer, shells, vultures, cacti, fauns, flowers, dragonflies, mice, owls, sheep, zebras, turkeys, foxes, squirrels, sea urchins, insects, circus seals, fish, and geese. Mermaids, Lady Godiva, the Devil, faires, magicians and dancing girls adorn her ties as do symbols and mundane objects such as Egyptian hieroglyphs, astrological signs, musical instruments, safety pins, clocks, guns, decks of cards, torn love letters, and key rings, to name just a few. Whatever the subject matter, none of Countess Mara's designs are bright or flashy as she preferred a subtle and and eye pleasing color palette.

The following excerpt from a New York Times article of February 1949 reveals Mara's absolute devotion to her art: "I think of ties morning, noon and night. At night, if I have insomnia, I count ties instead of sheep. I seldom go to the country. For me, the country consists of the jungles of my ties. They are populated with trees, flowers, and animals. I try to make my ties colorful, interesting, artistic, and gay, rather than showy and spectacular. Shadows I see on the street sometimes give me an idea for a new design. Other manufacturers have imitated my patterns and color combinations, but I don't mind. They have expanded the acceptability of the pictorial tie, so I'm glad.