Vintage Scarves: The Most Collectible Styles and How to Wear Them
The vintage scarf is one of the most democratically rewarding items in the entire collecting world. Available at every price point from thrift store finds to serious auction-house lots, produced in an almost infinite variety of patterns, fabrics, and sizes, and capable of transforming any outfit with minimal effort — the great vintage scarf represents a concentration of beauty and utility that few other accessories can match. Knowing what to look for is the key to finding the best ones.
Hermès: The Benchmark
Any serious discussion of collectible vintage scarves begins with Hermès. The Paris house has produced its signature silk twill carré — a 90cm square of hand-rolled, screen-printed silk — since 1937, and the archive of designs produced in those nearly nine decades represents one of the most remarkable bodies of decorative work in the history of fashion accessories. Each design is produced in multiple colorways and limited runs, making certain rare combinations genuinely valuable. Vintage Hermès scarves in excellent condition with original box and care card command significant premiums; even well-used examples in beautiful patterns are worth seeking out.
Liberty of London
Liberty of London's distinctive small-scale floral prints — developed from the house's historic textile archive and printed on fine silk or wool challis — represent one of Britain's most recognizable contributions to scarf design. Vintage Liberty scarves, particularly those from the 1960s and 1970s, are highly collectible and immediately recognizable by their characteristic palette and print scale. The Liberty label itself is worth checking for on any piece — the house's name has been associated with quality for over a century.
Italian Printed Silks
Italy produced extraordinary printed silk scarves throughout the twentieth century, with Como — the center of Italian silk production — turning out designs for both prestigious houses and more accessible markets. Italian scarves of the 1950s and 60s in particular feature prints of remarkable sophistication — architectural views, botanical subjects, abstract designs, and fashion illustrations — in the vivid, warm colorways that characterize Italian textile production at its best.
How to Wear a Vintage Scarf
The vintage scarf's versatility is part of its appeal. Tied at the neck in the classic French manner. Worn as a headscarf, tied under the chin or knotted at the nape. Threaded through belt loops. Tied to a handbag. Worn as a top, twisted and knotted. Draped over the shoulders as a light wrap. Our silk sari scarves and wraps offer the same spirit of beautiful, versatile accessorizing with the added richness of Indian textile tradition.
