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SALT LAKE CITY — A statement once considered to be a threat has been turned into a fashion statement by an Arizona man who has taken LEGO-inspired apparel to an entirely new level.
LEGO fans who are not satisfied with wearing ties decorated with images of LEGO bricks can now take their fandom one step further, thanks to Stephen and Cara Slade, the creators of Brick Your Neck-Ties.
The ties, made of thin LEGO bricks that Slade connects using material that allows the ties to be flexible, attach at the neck with an adjustable hook and loop straps. He said the idea came to him as he thought of the difficulty of shopping for Christmas presents for men.
"I was thinking about how much I like to play with LEGOs and about the lame idea of giving a tie as a Christmas gift and thought, ‘Oh my gosh, wouldn't that be sweet if I had a tie made out of LEGOs?'" he said.
And people seem to agree: Slade said people have been attracted to the unique product; one man has already bought six of the ties.
"It's unique," Slade said. "It's definitely a novel idea. It's a lot of fun and because it's made out of LEGO pieces, people seem to be pretty fascinated with it.
The website launched only three weeks ago, but has already gained a strong Utah following, according to Slade.
That's been my dream job for a long time — to make toys.
–Stephen Slade
"I was really surprised to see people all over the world checking it out, but there is a large concentration of visitors from Utah," he said.
The ties, which range in cost from $25 to $30, are customizable and can be built upon, making the ties as much toy as they are apparel.
It's something most children — and some adults — dream of: making a career out of playing with toys. And Slade has done just that.
"I definitely liked playing with LEGOs growing up, and I passed that along to my kids," Slade said. "That's been my dream job for a long time — to make toys. I never thought I'd be selling neckties, though."
