The silk scarf is back, from Hermès to Celine and Chanel

If you’d needed proof that the silk scarf – essential accoutrement of the bougie Parisienne, and both your preppy college friend and your elegant grandmother – has made a comeback, then Michael Rider’s debut for Celine last July was it. Or indeed, it was not that scarves were back, but that they have become something else – not just chic, but cool and very much open to interpretation. For Rider’s debut, an enormous silk scarf was suspended above the courtyard of Celine’s headquarters – working double time as an umbrella for guests as the rain intensified. The collection – and subsequent ones that have captured something essential about how women want to dress now – celebrated the silk scarf as a key item in your wardrobe. Ideas for how to wear one are rife throughout Celine’s shows and campaigns: draped over a shoulder, tied around bags and peeking out from underneath a coat. In Rider’s universe – peppy and on-the-go – foundational pieces get serious oomph. As the American designer said backstage at his most recent show, “Classics is one thing, but we like bite.” It’s not only Rider playing with the silk scarf. The likes of fashion Substacker Leandra Medine Cohen and Alexa Chung have been wearing them sarong-like over trousers, while designers such as Conner Ives have been pairing them with quilted rugby tops for a kooky take on prep. Meanwhile the style influence of both Jackie Kennedy Onassis and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy has returned to fever pitch with Ryan Murphy’s Love Story – both wore silk scarves, often as bandanas. Though the ultimate flex with a silk scarf is surely the time Grace Kelly wore an Hermès number as a sling after injuring her arm at one of Aristotle Onassis’ yacht parties. Tiffany Hsu, chief buying and group fashion venture officer at Mytheresa, says twists on the silk scarf fit with how people dress now: no rules necessary. Which is why she thinks they’re having a moment. “For a long time, silk scarves felt very ladylike, polished and chic. Now they carry a different energy. They are no longer just the finishing touch: they are the piece that can define the look,” she says. “Whether styled with sharp tailoring, tied over a cap, wrapped around a bag, or worn almost effortlessly, they feel expressive and personal. That’s what makes silk scarves cool again: it’s less about looking proper and more about wearing them with attitude. Ultimately, it’s about the confidence with which you choose to wear them.” The silk scarf may be popping up everywhere from Chanel to Dries Van Noten, but Hermès is its spiritual home. The silk carré was introduced by the maison in 1937, and its practically endless archive of designs continues to inspire creations across its métiers. Hermès, ever playful, has also got rather kinky with silk scarves. The brand’s spring/summer 2026 collection featured the accessory trailing beneath extremely lush leather harness tops. Laia Farran Graves, author of the 2023 book The Story of the Hermès Scarf, says there are many reasons behind the scarf’s allure – from fashion’s ever-changing whims to its constants. “Fashion is cyclical, and in recent years, there has been a strong return to craftsmanship and individuality. The Hermès carré embodies both qualities: it represents exceptional quality, but it also allows the wearer to express personality and creativity,” she says. “I think the renewed fascination with the silk scarf reflects a broader cultural shift towards slowing down and appreciating objects that are beautifully made and designed to last. In that sense, the scarf feels both timeless and very contemporary.” Writing a book about the Hermès scarf, she says, helped her appreciate the craftsmanship behind it. “One of the things that stood out to me was the extraordinary level of attention to detail involved in creating the silk scarves. First made in 1937, the standard scarf measures 90cm by 90cm, weighs approximately 65 grams, and is woven from the silk of around 300 mulberry moth cocoons. This makes it twice as strong as many alternatives that were available at the time,” she notes. “That same precision extends to every stage of the creative process, from design and printing, to the hand-rolled and sewn edges.” As Farran Graves points out too, the creation of a silk scarf “aligns with contemporary ideas about sustainability, since silk is renewable and biodegradable”. It’s also, as evidenced both on and off the runway, the ultimate expression of personal taste – no matter how you tie it. In fact, how you tie it is the entire point.

The silk scarf is back, from Hermès to Celine and Chanel

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From Michael Rider’s Celine to the Hermès carré, the silk scarf has shed its ladylike polish and gained something far more interesting: attitude

From Michael Rider’s Celine to the Hermès carré, the silk scarf has shed its ladylike polish and gained something far more interesting: attitude