Scarves

Book excerpt: The definitive work on scarves in the twentieth century, featuring work by artists and important textile designers and brands. Indispensable accessories and sought-after collectors’ items, scarves were an important innovation in twentieth-century fashion. From Art Deco through 1950s Hollywood, the Swinging Sixties, and beyond, scarves have expressed the constant evolutions in style, representing every major decorative arts movement over the past century and into the present one. This marvelously 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 color, and many never before seen in print. The book includes concise biographies of more than fifty scarf designers, retailers, and manufacturers, and a useful resource guide provides expert advice on dating and conservation, museum collections, vintage fairs, and specialist dealers.