Vintage Patchwork Scarves

We sat down with our men’s designer Frank to find out how his mash-up of vintage scarves became one of fall’s great statement pieces.

THE BACKSTORY

Over the years, Frank and his team have built an incredible archive of vintage scarves, ties and swatches, but they hadn’t found the perfect way to use their favorites—until now.

We wanted to make foulard silk scarves more interesting by putting three different patterns together. The goal was to modernize the old-world patterns and create unexpected color combinations.

We sat down as a team and picked the samples we liked best, figuring out where to add pops of color and how to combine the various patterns that have always been part of our vocabulary.

The team changed the color and scale of the patterns to make them feel more modern and then printed them on silk twill fabric. It takes color really well, and there’s a chic shine to it.

THE RESULTS

Appearing to be a patchwork of sharp colors and patterns, our new scarves are actually one seamless piece of printed silk. The blocks of patterns are intentionally asymmetrical, says Frank, so they don’t cover each other up when tied.

THE LOOK

He suggests wearing the scarves under a shirt or V-neck sweater or pairing them with a suit in the place of a tie (we especially like this idea).

THE COLLECTION

The finished product debuted last January as part of our fall/winter 2016 New York Fashion Week presentation, along with the rest of Frank and the team’s stylish new designs.