Black tie dressing takes a controversial turn with the introduction of the 'air tie'

As the garment behind the name "black tie" it has long been a must-wear item for gentlemen attending events with such a dress code.

But now the tried-and-tested formula for black tie dressing has taken a controversial turn, as men are ditching their bow ties and ties in favour of an empty collar.

Instead they are opting for a so-called "air tie" where men simply wear their shirt collar done up, the way they would to apply a tie, but taking that final part of the equation out and going without a tie.

The done-up collar plays into the idea of formality, but the tie is absent.  Those who have been keeping an eye on the red carpet and what men are wearing in recent months will have noticed celebrities including Ryan Gosling, Michael B Jordan and Harry Styles all donning the look.

It comes after it was decreed that MPs needn’t wear ties in the House of Commons as part of the dress code in 2017. And last year a study by Travelodge found that only one in ten men wear a tie to work.

Speaking about the trend, Teo van den Broeke, style director of British GQ magazine, said: “The air tie conveys a sense of nonchalance.

There’s something about being buttoned up all the way to the top, which looks super chic and streamlined, but there’s also something a little rebellious about it; the absence of tie suggests a shirking of the rules”.

There are a host of rakish types throughout the decades who have embraced the minimalist panache of the air tie; Roxy Music-era Bryan Ferry, Keith Richards looking louche in the 1970s, master of subversion David Lynch has long been a fan.

Fashion insiders are unsurprised that the air tie trend has surfaced now, as formalwear has been subject to scrutiny on the catwalks for some time, where suiting and traditionally “upright” tailoring has been gradually infused with a casual ease.

Mr Van Den Broeke added that the air tie look is also a way for Millennials to dress up without "looking like their dads".

He said: “I think the air tie is in fact an attempt amongst the young, athleisure-obsessed generation to embrace formality in the only way they know how. There’s an undone smartness to it without looking too trussed up”.