Islamic Starburst Silk Habotai Scarf

DESIGNER'S NOTES

A dynamic floral Fox & Chave silk habotai scarf depicting tulips and acanthus in blue with red accent colours that takes inspiration from decorative styles evident in Islamic architecture and design.

Tulips and acanthus leaves feature prominently in Islamic decorative art, where natural forms are stylised into intricate patterns that adorn manuscripts, ceramics and architectural surfaces.

Tulips, introduced to the Ottoman world from Central Asia, became symbols of beauty and paradise, their elongated forms often repeated in friezes and tile panels. Acanthus, inherited from Byzantine and Greco-Roman motifs, provided a flowing, rhythmic counterpoint, its curling leaves integrated into arabesques and borders.

Artisans emphasised symmetry and interlacement, transforming botanical forms into abstracted designs that suggest growth without depicting literal plants. In mosque decoration, textiles and metalwork, the pairing of tulip and acanthus motifs created a visual dialogue between the exotic and the classical, linking gardens of imagination with geometric rigour.

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.