Is this the end of wearing ties to work?

While the trouser suit – for men and women – continues to be a staple on catwalks at international fashion weeks, it seems that the old fashioned necktie isn’t quite so in favour with those seeking out business attire.  

On Twitter this week, City worker and think tank owner, William Wright, of New Financial, shared a snap that will strike anxiety into the heart of officewear traditionalists…a very pared down tie display. 

While the neck tie was once considered so vital to employees wearing a whistle-and-flute to the office that it spawned a whole shop – Tie Rack – dedicated to it, it seems the accessory is no longer on trend. 

Even the BBC is now embracing a more relaxed dress code stating that reporters are now allowed to ditch their formal office attire.

Wright, using the Twitter handle @Williamw1 shared the photo following a visit to Selfridges department store, writing: ‘This is the entire tie department at Selfridges in London. The end of days is upon us.’

The photo shows one rack, filled with a selection of coloured ties in shades of blues, greens, pinks and purples. A few striped ties and one bold Versace-style barocco tie also make the mix. 

MailOnline has contacted Selfridges for comment.  

Responses to William’s post, which has had nearly 825,000 views, acknowledged that fashions have changed. 

Traditional variants of the necktie include the ascot, bow, bolo, zipper tie, cravat and knit, all of which seem to have plummeted in the popularity stakes.  

@alexander_peel penned: ‘Try finding a self-tie bow tie in a physical store these days. Think I must have tried four shops the other day – even Moss Bros don’t seem to stock them.’

@Nicolas_Colin responded: ‘Ties will go down the way of hats’, while @LdnParris suggested ‘The only people who still wear ties are estate agents.’

@BenWestwoodHG added: ‘I’d put more than that away after the average customer had a brief rummage. 

‘A pretty drab display and collection in comparison too. Very sad indeed, little better than a good shirt and tie.’

One person commented that actually the tie had found a new fanbase, with Gen-Z. 

Tie Rack, once a thriving company with 450 UK stores, closed its last shop a decade ago, as fashion began to change, and internet retailers offered ties online (Pictured: an airport branch of Tie Rack is seen in 1999, when the store was booming)

@ArthurAndEric wrote: ‘Interestingly (to me anyway) is the resurgence of tie wearing in my son’s age group – they are quietly becoming trendy with 18yr olds as, I suppose, a counter cultural statement.’

It’s been a decade since Tie Rack, which had 450 outlets at its peak, shut up shop.   

Tie Rack’s miniature stores became a familiar fixture at train stations and airports since it was founded in 1981 by heel bar owner Roy Bishko.

The explosion of office-based jobs in the City of London financial district helped it expand rapidly, reaching a peak of 450 stores during 1998.

But competition from internet retailers, coupled with high costs, hit sales hard – and the increasing trend for casual attire in offices proved the death knell for the store.