Neckwear became more colourful and more daring in the 1950s. Parisian designs included some lively prints inspired by famous works of art. Ties from Italy were predominantly black and gold, complimenting the fashionable black and gold shantung suits popular there. English neckwear, like this red and black tie designed by Hardy Amies, offered a compliment to conservative suiting. In London, as early as 1957, Hardy Amies initiated a range of menswear designs for shirts and ties that appealed to those who wished to wear something original in contrast to the conservative greys of the 1950s.