Dutch Tapestry Silk Habotai Scarf

DESIGNER'S NOTES

A Fox & Chave silk habotai scarf with a floral design after a tapestry made in the Netherlands in the 16th Century.

Dutch floral tapestries at this time combined rich botanical detail with allegorical and decorative intent, reflecting the growing interest in natural science and garden culture during the Renaissance.

These textiles often featured dense arrangements of flowers such as tulips, lilies, carnations, and peonies, woven with remarkable realism and subtle shading. Unlike later symmetrical or stylised designs, early Dutch tapestries embraced a more organic layout, sometimes interspersed with birds, insects, and fruit, blurring the line between observation and ornament.

The influence of herbals and illustrated botanical texts is evident in the precise depiction of plant forms. Used in both civic and domestic interiors, these tapestries signified wealth, learning, and an appreciation for nature’s complexity and transience.

COLOURS

STYLING

A Fox & Chave habotai silk scarf can be worn with the classic knot style or a pussycat bow. You can even create a shawl effect by knotting two scarves together behind your neck and allowing them to drape over your shoulders. More scarf styling ideas are available in this wonderful How to Tie a Scarf book.