Fri | Apr 17, 2026

All tied up

Published:Sunday | March 17, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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The ambassador can knot ties with his eyes closed. Here, he shows us how with a tie that belonged to his grandfather.
Brazilian Ambassador Antonio Silva sporting a pointed bow tie and looking over some of his favourites from his collection. - PHOTOS BY Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
The ambassador sporting one of the wider bow ties that were popular in the '70s.
Of different shapes and sizes, these are some of the ambassador's favourite bow ties.- Photos by Ricardo Makyn/Staff Photographer
Among his growing collection of unusual cufflinks is this one of the comedic family act Marks Brothers.
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Nashauna Drummond, Acting Lifestyle Editor

Ducks, horses, cats and butterflies in all different shapes and sizes. Fifty-three of his favourite ties were neatly laid out on the large wooden dining table, creating a resplendent design that lit up the entire room. Brazilian Ambassador to Jamaica Antonio Da Costa E Silva is really into bow ties. Yes, bow ties. No prop-like clip-ons for this gentleman; only bona fide pieces that he knots himself every morning. He boasts that he can do this with his eyes closed - no mirror necessary.

"I like them. It's fun and it's a conversation piece, makes for good conversation," he said with a hearty chuckle. He certainly is right about that. His ties were what led us to his Millsborough Crescent home last week Friday. The ambassador has rarely been seen without one of his signature bow ties since he arrived on the island in May of 2011.

His fascination started quite by chance in the 1980s while he was attending diplomatic academy. "I had an exam in 1981 and we needed to wear a tie and I didn't have one. So I went home and told my grandmother I needed one and if she could get me a tie, or buy me one. But she told me she had my grandfather's ties. I didn't know she was talking about bow ties until she brought out the box with them. She showed me how to do the knots. I went to the exam and, obviously I was successful, so I thought, they have brought me luck, so I just continued wearing them."

To this day, the ambassador still has one of his grandfather's ties among the over 100 that he owns. But he does also own a few 'regular' ties, which are for "special occasions".

"Regular ties are for people who want to be flashy. I want to be discreet," he said. "Everyone has their thing, and if you're a diplomat like me, it's not recommended that you make too bold a statement. You can do that with your bow ties, because they are small and you can have more fun."

The ambassador operates under two theories with his ties. First, bow ties are cheaper than regular ties, because they are made with less material. And second, in the early 1930s and 40s in England, non-lawyers would wear bow ties, lawyers would wear regular ties, "so I figure bow ties are citizen ties," he notes.

Ambassador Silva had an uncle who also wore bow ties. They would often meet up on Wednesdays after work to share a drink. When his uncle passed away, his wife sent the ambassador his ties, as she knew he would appreciate them. The ties arrived on a Wednesday. He wears them sometimes, but only - you guessed it - on Wednesdays.

Ambassador Silva's collection reflects the trends the accessory has gone through over the years. From the wider bows of the 1970s to the skinny bows of the 1980s and the pointed bows, all were represented on his table. Most of them are silk. He prefers the stiff ones since they provide a more tailored look and keep their shape throughout the day, and no one makes them as good as his.

His favourite store is Seigo New York - between 89th and 90th Street.

So next time you see the good ambassador around town, look out for his subtle-but-arresting fashion statement. He certainly won't mind telling you about it.