A few scarves have made fashion’s history books. Among them, Audrey Hepburn’s, worn for moped rides on Roman trysts, and the silky ones thought to have been used by Queen Nefertiti. Then there was, of course, Lenny Kravitz’s duvet-sized scarf, circa 2012.
For SS20, though, the silky scarves that are having a moment are not always worn at necklines. At Burberry, they were fashioned into jagged-hem skirts or stitched across chests. Entire outfits, from slip dresses to trousers, looked to be made from stitched-together scarves at Erdem, while at Preen, “experimentation with the idea of ‘the scarf’” saw Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi borrowing its aesthetic for dresses.
• Scarf dress, £2,290, trench, £2,990, and pumps £590 by Burberry • Floral scarf, £250, dress, £1,140, and T-shirt, £815, by Preen by Thornton Bregazzi
Nicky Albrechtsen, who has written a book on scarves, says that, when reimagined this way, they inject “an accent of colour, a swathe of drapery, a modernity created by taking a traditional accessory and reusing it in ways not seen before”.
The catwalks were full of neckscarves, too, channelling westerns and Scouts, in an embarrassment of knots. They were sartorial foundations rather than afterthoughts. At Preen, floral scarves clashed against graphic tees and took inspiration from Japanese street culture. At Pyer Moss, they matched printed dresses. At Joseph, they referenced founder Joseph Ettedgui’s Moroccan roots and at Etro, according to creative director Veronica Etro, they were inspired by “mixing the pirates aesthetic with that of 70s groupies”.
• Paisley scarf, £180, tunic, £975, and trousers, £985, by Etro
For Joseph creative director Susana Clayton, scarf-dressing is “practical, playful and elevated”. Thornton and Bregazzi add that “current trends prioritise individuality, and the scarf makes a simple look effortlessly unique”.
For inspiration on how to wear one this season, you could do worse than look to the 70s, a decade filled with floaty fashionistas who, for Albrechtsen, championed the kind of freewheeling styles seen this season. Enterprising types might find the originals in vintage shops or at the back of their – or their mum’s – wardrobe. Think Joan Baez, Faye Dunaway in Bonnie And Clyde, Mick Jagger, Bowie and Jane Birkin – and give the scarf time to shine.
• Floral scarf, £295. Top, £1,385, skirt, £1,050 and hat £645, by Erdem • Black scarf, £325, dress, £375, and bag, £195, by Joseph
Styling: Melanie Wilkinson. Hair: and makeup Sam Cooper at Carol Hayes Management using Living Proof and IT cosmetics. Stylist’s assistant: Peter Bevan. Model: Anna at Milk.
