Croatian 'Museum' wearing Tie

In 90-ties the need of redefining national identity became in Croatia the problem of great importance. After the political changes the most significant values which help to create the national image seem to be history, the past and the memories. The phenomenon of so called 'museal sensitivity' leads to attribute the status of exhibit to all the things and events from the past. One of the most interesting examples of so called 'museal activity' is creation of the legend about the tie which proves to be Croatian contribution to the global culture. In the year 1635 Croatian soldiers arrived to Paris in order to give their support to King Louis XIII. The Croats drew interest because of the traditional scarves, made of various clothes tied around their necks. The French officers were delighted by this 'Croatian style' and the new fashion quickly spread across the Europe. In many languages the word Croat became the root for the word meaning 'cravat' (tie).