BOW-TIED TO INDY

On the fifth floor of The Columbia Club in downtown Indianapolis, a boutique public relations firm mirrors a start-up agency in San Francisco. The winding staircase of this once historic hotel leads to what looks like a block of hotel rooms. Yet, it is home to innovative businesses and eager entrepreneurs.

Cris Dorman, ’06, finds his niche here. Leaving a political communications position in 2010, he moved blocks from the Statehouse to become a member of The Columbia Club. He wanted to create a branding and public relations agency similar to Cardinal Communications, Ball State’s student-run public relations agency, and replicate its environment of openness and collaboration.

Securing office space in the heart of Circle City, Dorman opened Brandrenew—helping a diverse clientele achieve fresh, engaging brands. Soon the creation of its own start-up, Rock My Bow Tie, began.

Partnering with a fellow Hoosier savvy in international trade, Dorman, a public relations major, launched Rock My Bow Tie to provide stylish and trendy neckties at a lower cost. His passion for upscale fashion, along with the affordability of starting a fashion brand in Indiana, made it the perfect fit.

“Indianapolis is my hometown, and I love the opportunities here. Those in business want you to succeed, creating a sense of camaraderie,” Dorman says.

As the creative name implies, Rock My Bow Tie features an array of signature bow ties, and its website shares how to tie a bow tie or create a custom-designed tie. But the business is expanding to include suspenders, pocket squares, and lapel pins. In addition, customers can join the Bow Tie Club, which allows a subscriber to choose among four plans and receive one bow tie each month for up to a year.

“We’re making bow ties a part of the everyday trendy men’s wardrobe. We want to preserve this accessory,” Dorman says. “It’s nostalgic. We want words like ‘dapper’ to continue.”

Customers can feel good about their purchases, too, knowing a portion of the proceeds support a philanthropic cause, the Testicular Cancer Foundation.