Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://digital.greengale.com/i/666022
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KOLBY KNIGHT (POPE, WORKSPACE); THEBEARWALK.COM (BOWTIES) Champion athlete? Check. Fashion designer? Check. Self-proclaimed "Beacon Hellion"? Wait, what? That's just part of the story of Chynna Pope, a former competitive figure skater turned bow-tie designer from Beacon Hill with a chic and cheeky approach to life. Pope's own go-to outfit might be as effortless as skinny jeans, an oversize shirt, and a baseball cap, but her men's accessories collection is made extravagantly (fabulous TIE ME UP CHYNNA POPE STYLES BOSTON'S JET SET WITH THE BEACON HILL BOW TIE CLUB. BY KRISTA DEJULIO silks!) and with precision (impeccably stitched!) for the jet-setting gents about town. Her one-woman company, the Beacon Hill Bow Tie Club, specializes in preppy, conservative-yet-fun designs created from vintage and new materi- als: Sassy stripes, proper plaids, and dignified crests dot her ties, all of which support Pope's motto: "There's no wrong way to wear a Beacon Hill Bow Tie." "It's for the more daring and stylish men in Boston," Pope says. "You can really make a statement." Though she's traded her ice skates for a skateboard and a fashion education, Pope is still inspired by her rink days. "Being a figure skater, I had all my costumes custom-made," she says. "My dressmaker was just a huge influence on my life." That handcrafted touch is essential in Pope's new endeavor, as she hand-stiches every tie to ensure it is one-of-a- kind. Just like Pope herself. chynnapope. wordpress.com . 78 BOSTONCOMMON-MAGAZINE.COM ABOVE: The "Charlesgate Collection" ( HANGING) features one-of-a-kind pieces made from repurposed silks ($65). HERE: Vintage houndstooth wool bow tie ($55). An embellished silk piped bowtie ($80). Pope's workspace in Beacon Hill. Beacon Hill's Chynna Pope proves bow ties aren't just for gents (worsted wool paisley bow tie, $55) STYLE LAUNCH