Music and fashion are somewhat synonymous, but not on the surface. If you are heading to an electronic music festival you may be cloaked in vibrant hues and loud patterns, while a folk rock show may encourage your clothing to embody a subtle tone with earthy colors. This may be a reflex for most of us, but for Tiffany Rogers, founder of knot by TIFFA, it’s an art form and we just reap the benefits.
“It is trendy right now—a bowtie can be dressed so many different ways,” Rogers says. “In the past, it has been worn very conservativelyand it had a stereotype of being conservative. Lately, a lot of people have been breaking out of the traditional style of just wearing it with a suit, so they can bring more style to it.”
A fashion designer, music enthusiast and former figure skater, Rogers creates stunningly beautiful bowties for both men and women, all of which are inspired by songs. And she has this down to a science. Growing up on the ice, Tiffany had to design costumes based on the music she was performing to—a routine accompanied by rock music is complemented by black attire. Since then, she has considered music to be an inspiration behind her designs.
Knot by TIFFA was born after Rogers was searching for the perfect bowtie for a friend. After finding countless items that were bland and far from eclectic, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Beyond the traditional stripes and polka dots, Rogers began thinking about music that she listened to daily to find inspiration.
“I experience that little moment, it’s like an epiphany when I can see the patterns, colors or just something that really hits me—a lot of the music that does that to me is stuff that incorporates a lot of different sounds. Whether it’s electronic music and there is a lot going on and a bunch of different beats, or rock with a classical inspiration with traditional guitar, bass and drums, but then there is a string section,” she explains.
Knot by TIFFA features seasonal collections, each of which are inspired by a certain trend in the music world. Because she is constantly searching for and listening to new music, there’s a little something for everyone. Whether your personality is outgoing and bright or subtle and more traditional, there’s likely a bowtie that is perfectly fitting. From hip-hop to folk rock to electronic, Rogers finds something worth pulling from the notes and melodies that can translate through a tightly wound piece of fabric.
“I am looking for something that just kind of hits me over the head, and I don’t always know what that is going to be. Sometimes it is more subtle. I try to consider the musical trends. For the summer collection, I used a lot of electronic music and bluegrass rock. For fall, I thought that the Appalachian rock movement that is coming in is fitting, so that’s what I focused on. But I am really just trying to get into as many genres as I can to keep ideas flowing and fresh.”
Each bowtie comes with a persona, a life lesson. Knot by TIFFA bowties aren’t worn with cluelessness, but instead a solid foundation of your characters presentation at that moment.
“Like for the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis “Can’t Hold Us” bowtie, that’s a really big in-your-face song, so I wanted as many bright colors as possible. But then there are other songs that I feel are so big that I don’t want to put too much into it,” she explains. “I have “Stars” by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and to me her voice is so huge throughout the whole song that I didn’t want to make something too distracting. It’s a solid lavender color that I think just represents how beautiful the song is.”
For Rogers, now is the perfect time to be inspired by music. Collaborations, throwbacks, melding genres and more lend to an ever-changing canvas. The clothes you wear say something about your personality and interests, and she has taken that to a whole new level. Musicians and music-lovers everywhere can appreciate the idea of expressing themselves through their clothing, and now you can look classy while you’re doing it.
“What I really want to see with knot by TIFFA is for us to offer bowties that are not necessarily for that conservative costumer, but rather the customer who is willing to take a bigger risk with their style,” Rogers says. “Because when you wear a bowtie it is already a statement, but I want it to be something bigger than just wearing a bowtie.”
Studio photos are by Rebecca Hussey at Ampersander Studios
Look Book photos are by Kelly Rogers featuring the band members of India Trading Furs.
