Designer Collectors: Scarves

What do you collect?

I collect scarves. That humble little square or oblong of fabric can give your outfit some zing and style, hide that turkey neck or simply keep your hair in place, but beyond this, the scarf has been a time capsule of design history over the decades. Its history goes back over 3,000 years to the time of Egypt’s Queen Nefertiti. In the 1950s and 1960s, celebrities such as Grace Kelly, Lauren Bacall, Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn boosted the popularity of the scarf as a fashion accessory. Even Cary Grant made it chic for men to wear scarves. Scarves radiate elegance and style.

When did you start?

I have been fascinated by scarf surface graphics since childhood and have been collecting them for as long as I can remember. The scarf that started it all was a gift mailed to me from Germany by my mum’s cousin. It’s a silk souvenir scarf of the 1972 Olympics in Munich. Since that first scarf, my collection has grown to astronomical proportions, from delicate 1930s, 40s and 50s florals, bold 1960s and 70s graphics, nautical themes, intricate Liberty paisleys to an assortment of souvenir scarves from multiple decades commemorating cities, events and brands. I wear a lot of them, but some I simply enjoy looking at once in a while. They transport me to another time and place.

How does your collection inspire you as a designer?

I grew up around surface graphic design. My mother was a textile designer when I was a child, and she always had me playing around her desk and watching her work. My love of pattern and interesting shapes most likely began there and then, and ultimately led me to pursue a career in graphic design. Collecting scarves has been a way for me to capture some of that design history from times gone by in a practical, wearable way that inspires me to keep doing what I’m doing.

What is your favourite item in your collection? 

Some of my extraordinary and favourite finds include a stunning Elsa Schiaparelli silk scarf featuring a large, graphic black cat, a Nirvana scarf featuring Kurt Cobain and numerous Liberty paisleys. Liberty of London was established in 1875, and their scarf designs are timeless. I have a number of Vera scarves, named after Vera Neumann, who started offhand painting silk in the 1940s. Vintage 1940s–50s Vera scarves have the Vera signature, but without the copyright symbol. Another famous scarf is the “Echo” scarf, founded in New York in 1923 by Edgar and Theresa Hyman. Every decade of Echo scarf design reflects the culture, design and fashion of the time. There are many other amazing scarf designers, and doing the research is a lot of fun once you bring your treasure home.

An item you aspire to have in your collection?

One of the most difficult scarves to come by is an authentic Hermes scarf. I only have one real one in my collection, and it’s a fine wool, rescued from a Value Village that burned down a month later. I would love to have a real silk Hermes scarf that is tastefully designed and not too busy. Even better, another quirky Schiaparelli scarf. She is one of my favourite and most creative fashion designers of all time.