The plumage of Brackish bow ties will embellish your style

Ordinary cuff links wouldn’t do as groomsmen gifts for Ben Ross at his wedding in 2007 in Columbia, S.C.

Instead, Ross handcrafted bow ties using turkey feathers. It was a natural choice when it came to creating gifts for his friends.

“I’ve been using feathers since I’ve been about 8 or 9 years old, fly-tying and fletching arrows for bow and arrows,” Ross said.

That original idea is now Brackish, a company founded by Ross and one of his groomsmen, Jeff Plotner. Based in Charleston, S.C., the brand’s feather-accented ties, lapel pins and cummerbunds are sold at select retailers across the United States and Europe, including the Keeneland Gift Shop and Country Club Prep in Lexington.

“It’s a great brand; I think it’s unique for the area,” said Kyle Cassin, director of retail at Keeneland, where the gift shop started carrying Brackish bow ties this spring. It’s part of Cassin’s plan to add more American-made products to the store, including those from local artists.

There are 50 artisans and product assistants at Brackish, where feathers harvested from naturally molting birds are applied one at a time, a process that takes four to five hours to create a tie. Guinea fowl, peacock, pheasant, bobwhite quail: no two feathers are the same, each one an iridescent, natural work of art.

“I tell you, Mother Nature does an incredible job,” Ross said. “Her paintbrush is the most beautiful thing that’s out there.”

More shopping news

The Athens Schoolhouse Antiques Show, 6270 Athens-Walnut Hill Pike, is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $2, free for ages 11 and younger. Call 859-255-7309 or go to Antiqueskentucky.com.

Artfully Fabulous is noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at Equus Run Vineyards, 1280 Moores Mill Road in Midway. The day will feature tastings and live music. Local vendors will sell handmade soaps, pottery, custom pet beds and more. For more information, go to Facebook.com/artfullyfabulous.

Baby Bundles, at 2535 Nicholasville Road, will host a Vive La Fete trunk sale April 13 through 30, featuring designs for spring and summer. More than 600 pieces of hand-smocked and traditional clothing for sizes 3 months through size 8 will be available, including boys and girls smocked swimwear. All trunk sale items will be 50 percent off retail prices, $16 to $39. Call 859-309-0459 or go to Facebook.com/babybundleslexington.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 11:32 AM with the headline "The plumage of Brackish bow ties will embellish your style."