The necktie (the cravat), the most famous original Croatian product, was popularized by Croatian soldiers who came to France in the 17th century to support Louis XIII de Richelieu. The French, renowned fashion and innovation enthusiasts, were delighted with the traditional Croatian apparel that, as an indispensable part, had a knotted, painted neckerchiefs around the neck. The new fashion was spreading rapidly to the French society and French King Louis XIV began to wear it, it became fashionable statement of high society. The neckerchief was worn in "Croatian way", i.e. in French "à la Croate" and thus got his present name "cravat".

The Croatian scarves were tied around the neck in a very distinctive way, were made of different materials and were accepted as a symbol of culture and elegance. Coarse materials were worn by ordinary soldiers, and officers and bourgeois had silk and fine cotton scarves. In addition to beauty, these scarves were more practical than rigid lace-up collars of French soldiers and officers. In 1667, a special Regiment Royal Cravates was formed in France, named after the Croats who were its members and wore a tie. The neckties in France eventually became a symbol of progress so during the French Revolution revolutionaries wore black ties as a sign of protest against the backward, outdated ideas. 

In England tie was brought by Charles II upon his return from exile, and ten years later the new fashion detail won the whole of Europe as well as most of the colonies on the American continent. 

In 2003, in Pula, the art installation of Marijan Bušić's "Cravat around the Arena" was broadcasted by some of the world's television stations, and more than a billion people saw it. The Croatian Parliament paid a homage to the necktie in 2008, declaring October 18 the Cravat Day.