Scarves

Bursting with colour, this book is a fount of inspiration for designers, textile artists and pattern addicts

The definitive work on scarves in the 20th century, beautifully illustrated and with a sensational, binding: this is a collector’s item in its own right.

Indispensable accessories and sought-after collectors’ items, scarves were an important innovation in 20th-century fashion. From Art Deco through 1950s Hollywood, the Swinging Sixties and beyond, scarves have been represented in every major decorative arts movement over the past century and into the present one.

This marvellously illustrated compendium showcases the work of a wide range of international designers: Paul Poiret, Elsa Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, Mary Quant, Gucci, Christian Lacroix, Yves Saint Laurent, Zandra Rhodes, Nicole Miller, and many more. Here are more than 250 scarves, beautifully reproduced in colour and all specially photographed, and many never before seen in print.

• Includes concise biographies of more than fifty scarf designers, retailers and manufacturers, and a resource guide provides expert advice on dating and conservation, museum collections, vintage fairs and specialist dealers.

'A rainbow-bright sourcebook of scarves … reveals some unexpected gems'
Harper’s Bazaar

'Gorgeous … “I don’t give a chic!” reads the subversive slogan on a 1990s scarf by Moschino. This book will appeal precisely to those who do'
Country Life

'Fascinating … the neck’s big thing'
The Lady

'It's darling ... sumptuous'
Mail on Sunday

Contents List

Introduction • The Style of an Era • Artists’ Scarves • Textile Designers • Scarf Companies • The Couture Scarf • Social Documentary • The Travel Scarf • Advertising • Collectables • A–Z Biographies of Designers • A–Z Index of Companies • Guide to Fabric Types • How to Date a Vintage Scarf • Conservation and Storage • Resource Guide • Further Reading

About the Author

Nicky Albrechtsen is the proprietor of the Vintage Resource Studio in Brick Lane, London, which provides costumes and props to the theatre and media.

Fola Solanke is a costume designer for film and television historical dramas.