A Life Of A Necktie

I am constantly looking around thrift shops, auctions, estate sales

and online for unusual vintage items.

Either I keep them and use at home, or they go to the shop.

I found this necktie at a thrift shop the other day.

The colours and design attracted me.

It was filthy, so off to the dry cleaners it went.

I picked it up yesterday and it was like new!

When I got home I began an online search 

as there was a label on the tie......

'Deborah Luscomb'.

I was surprised as to what I found.

A Deborah Liscomb lives in Halifax and originally came from

Boulder, Colorado.

She was the ceremonial designer for Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. (click)

He was the Buddhist leader who brought the Shambhala Center. (click)

headquarters to Halifax back in the 1980's.

She and thousands of others followed him here.

And since his death, she has a similar role for his son,  

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche . (click)

So I sent off an email and a photo of the tie to Deborah Luscomb.

I was unsure if she still lived here and also if she would reply to my inquiry.

I simply said that I was interested to know what inspired this design

and if there was anything she could share with me.

Within five minutes I got an email reply.

She was thrilled that I had this and she told me:

many years ago she made a number of these ties for her 

private business.

She used antique kimonos for the fabric.

And since the fabric was only 14" wide, this explains

why there are three seams in the necktie.

She added that there were a few of these ties 'floating around'

somewhere in her studio in Halifax.

I thanked her for this and am grateful to know the history/life of this tie.

There you go.....who would have thought that this tie had so many links to Halifax.

Now, where will I wear this tie?