Celebrating the Invention of the Necktie: World Cravat Day Marked
- by croatiaweek
- in Latest
18 October is Cravat Day (photo credit: Goran Sebelic)
One of the many Croatian inventions has its official day today with the marking of Day of the Cravat…
The forerunner to the modern necktie was the Croatian invention the ‘Cravat’. The tie was first used as an item of clothing by Croatian soldiers back in the 17th century. The oldest Croatian portrait of a person wearing a cravat was painted in Dubrovnik in 1622 and depicted the great Croatian poet Ivan Gundulic with a scarf tied around his neck like a cravat. This portrait is currently safeguarded at the Rector’s Palace, write the Zagreb Tourist Board.
The cravat
The word cravat derives from the French cravate, a twisted French pronunciation of Croate. The Cravat is a Croatian symbol known and recognised worldwide and since 2008 18 October has been declared as World Cravat Day by Academia Cravatica.
The oldest Croatian portrait of a person wearing a cravat – poet Ivan Gundulic
“Cravat is not only a sign of class and clothing culture. The vertical of the cravat symbolises the vertical of a man/woman – human dignity, self-awareness, moments of celebration. Balancing between its lightness, on one side, and the knot, on the other side, cravat symbolizes civilizational balance. Cravat sends out a message, symbolically, to be more aware of our dignity and dignity of others while communicating, to be people more, gentlemen more, aware of one´s freedom, and one´s responsibilities. For this symbolic strength, cravat carries epoch-marking importance. That is why it is necessary to establish the Cravat Day, on occasion of which the world would be sensible for those fundamental values”, says Marijan Bušić, head of Academia Cravatica and the initiator of the idea.
This world´s largest cravat – 808 metres around the Pula Arena in 2003 (photo credit: Goran Sebelic)
A number of activities will be held around the country today to mark the day, including an open exhibition on European Square in the capital Zagreb titled ‘The story of the Cravat’. The exhibition will remain open until 22 October 2016.
