Croatia's known for many things—a brutal war for independence and, most recently, a decent shot at the Euro Cup—but menswear isn't one of them. It wasn't always that way: The central European republic is the birthplace of the tie. (Yeah, we had no idea either.) Croata, one of the country's leading neckwear boutiques, is looking to get the word out by issuing a limited-edition series of designs called the "Croata 4," pictured at left. The retailer's version only resembles the original in spirit: The accessory was brought to the West by Croatian soldiers who arrived in France to help fight in the 30 Years War (1618-1648); they wore kerchiefs knotted on by their loved ones as a mark of fidelity. The French not only accepted their aid on the battlefield, they flipped for the "cravat" and adopted it as their own. The Croata 4 (so called because only four of each type are made) are, of course, slimmer, crafted from silk in traditional patterns. The designs include a braiding motif found in ancient monuments, and Glagolitic script, the original alphabet of Slavic languages. At the very least, it's an interesting gift option for Father's Day: Dad will never be able to read the writing on his tie, but he'll appreciate its authenticity.
$599, croata.hr