Indian Carnations Silk Habotai Scarf

DESIGNER'S NOTES

A multi-coloured Fox & Chave silk habotai scarf featuring a stylised floral design typical of the Mughal tradition.

This design is based on a beautiful 18th-century album of floral patterns from the V&A collection, created in the Mughal style.

The design has a rhythmic lattice (ogee) structure set against a colourful ground with rich orange borders, characteristic of high-status courtly dyes set against a colourful ground with rich orange borders, characteristic of high-status courtly dyes. This type of floral pattern featuring idealised, symmetrical motifs was known as the Mughal Flower Style and developed during the reign of Shah Jahan.

Similar to the Islamic idea of the charbagh, or paradise garden - a vision of perpetual spring that is also seen in the marble inlays of the Taj Mahal - textile designs such as these were developed to ‘bring the garden indoors’.

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.