FIT TO BE TIED

Forget about the thousand dollar “ugly sneaker.” This season, no fall wardrobe is complete without a generously sized, artfully patterned scarf.

Here at Designow, with the see-sawing of temps, we’re looking forward to exploring the season’s endless options for accessorizing. Among fall 18’s myriad trends, the scarf emerged as one of the most prevalent–and unexpected. And of the London shows that generally dominate the headlines, you’d have previously been hard pressed to find Richard Quinn’s name. That of course all changed when Queen Elizabeth took a surprise front row seat next to Anna Wintour and British Fashion Council president, Caroline Rush. Her Majesty seemed pleased by all accounts, and unsurprisingly. She’s been known to sport an Hermes scarf in place of a riding helmet while on horseback at Balmoral, her retreat in the Scottish countryside.

Quinn took a decidedly Punk approach to the swaths of silk, wrapping models, literally, from head to toe in shockingly bright florals in an electric nod to usually prim English chintz. It was a trend that continued, most notably with Paris-based designer and LVMH prize winner Marine Serre who took a sustainable approach, piecing together vintage scarves that she sourced from the city’s famed antique markets. Equally bold looks were seen at Toga and 3.1 Phillip Lim while Versace mined its archives of Greek key and animal print silks for graphic, vaguely ‘80s-style ball skirts and cocktail numbers.

For something new, Brooklyn-based Charlotte Wang offers a whimsical approach with her line, CJW, for which she handpaints silk squares with tongue-in-cheek illustrations of, say, items from her favorite brunch spots. Green juice devotee? There’s a scarf for you! And of course one can never go wrong with Hermes. In fact, given the French house’s frequent artist collaborations, some collectors have taken to hanging theirs on the wall (Hermes can sell you the hardware for that, too, of course.)