Harry’s Guide to Drake’s

You can’t talk about Drake’s without first mentioning its famous neckties. Handmade in a dedicated factory in the heart of East London — just a jaunt from the city’s silk-weaving epicentre in Spitalfields — Drake’s ties are arguably the brand’s most iconic product.

Drake’s neckties are predominantly made from high-quality silks, wools, cashmeres, and silk-shantung, available in classic designs — including paisley, neat patterns, polka dots, Repp stripes, and grenadine — along with more whimsical patterns that may include anything from unicorns to Mughal hunters to birds of paradise and beyond.

The necktie's origins, however, are inseparable from the scarf. Originally a maker of men's "Scarves, Shawls and Plaids," Drake's intricate designs quickly gained a reputation for their quality and beauty — and today, the brand's silk scarves remain almost equally celebrated for their signature prints and patterns.

After the widespread success of Drake’s neckwear and accessories, the brand gradually expanded into a full men’s wardrobe offering, and today, it is perhaps best known for its soft tailoring.

 Jackets, suits, and trousers made from distinctly British fabrics and patterns, yet constructed in a softer, more lightweight expression closer to the spirit of Italian tailoring than the structured styles that define Savile Row. In fact, Italy is exactly where Drake’s tailored garments are crafted.

If the soft shoulders, patch pockets, and front darts speak to classic Italian tailoring, the heavy tweeds, flannel wools, and distinguished Donegals showcase the finest of British fabric mills — the two traditions meeting somewhere entirely their own.

Key details include:

Drake's knitwear is traditionally crafted in the British Isles — predominantly Scotland — using natural materials including Shetland wool, lambswool, and cashmere. The brand works with some of the finest makers in Britain and beyond, producing knitwear that is as considered in its construction as it is in its material.

Impressively, Drake's knitwear is made using a fully fashioned technique — panels are knitted directly into their final shape rather than cut and sewn from a roll of cloth. The result is a garment with superior durability, a better fit, and a cleaner finish that reflects the care taken at every stage of production.

"We work with the finest makers in the British Isles, Europe and beyond to produce knitwear of superior style and quality," says Michael Hill, "including Merino, our iconic Shetland jumpers and cardigans, and our famed shawl collar cardigans, available in lambswool, camel hair, and cashmere."

Drake’s shirts are made entirely in-house at the brand’s own dedicated factory in Chard, Somerset — a mark of commitment to craft that is increasingly rare in contemporary menswear. Each shirt is made with single-needle stitching, floating interlinings, and mother-of-pearl buttons, resulting in a garment that rewards close attention and improves with wear.

The shirt offering spans Oxford cloth button-downs, crisp poplin shirts, relaxed overshirts, and premium jersey styles — each made from the finest cloths and finished with the same attention to detail that defines every Drake's garment. Playful in print and pattern, considered in construction, and built to last a lifetime.

“Drake’s styling is unmistakable: tailoring worn with ease and finished with personality. It’s an approach we’ve fully embraced since bringing the brand to Harry Rosen, from scarves tied around coat collars to sweaters draped over the shoulders and rugby shirts paired with tailoring.” —Olivia Duffy, Product & Trade Marketing Director

There’s a reason Drake’s is beloved by menswear fanatics far and wide — it appeals to a tasteful global audience, transcending trends, style tribes, and nationalities, bringing true enthusiasts of long-lasting quality and longstanding design together. Drake’s does what many brands strive to: provide authenticity, create community, and tell real stories.

Drake’s is a brand worth discovering up close and personal; contact your Style Advisor to learn more about how to explore the latest collection at Harry Rosen.