Mackintosh Tulips Silk Habotai Scarf

DESIGNER'S NOTES

A dark red Fox & Chave silk habotai scarf design with a repeat pattern of tulips in an art nouveau style by the Scottish Architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928).

Mackintosh used the tulip as a recurring motif to express restraint, rhythm, and symbolic order. In his soft furnishing and wallpaper designs, the tulip is flattened and elongated, reduced to stems, buds, and restrained curves rather than naturalistic blooms reinforcing unity between structure, surface, and interior atmosphere.

These patterns emphasise verticality and repetition, aligning with his architectural thinking and the disciplined geometry of the Glasgow Style. For wallpapers, tulips are often arranged in grids or mirrored sequences, creating calm visual cadence.

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.