Pioneering the Scarf Industry 

By Paige McKirahan

Seeing as how we have already learned the history behind the magnificent accessory, we begun to wonder about the designers who paved the way for scarves to become the classic piece that they are today. Hermes, of course, burst onto the scene with their wonderful silk designs that exuded luxury and wealth, capturing the attention of everyone from starlets to the everyday person. But what about the other popular designers that took the piece and molded it into something of their own? Read on to hear of our favorite scarf designers and brands throughout time (and to find some of their pieces in our shop!)

Glentex

When the brand first stepped onto the scene in 1939, it emerged under the umbrella of the Glendser Textile Co. that received its first registered trademark for lady’s scarves and handkerchiefs. In the following decades up into the 1970s, Glentex became increasingly popular and was widely known for their beaded collars and vibrant patterns. Many pieces were made in Japan out of a wide variety of fabrics, including silk and rayon. At the height of their popularity, they even partnered with our beloved Schiaparelli and Gloria Vanderbilt to create high fashion pieces!

Totes

This brand, which was popularized by their easy-to-carry rainboots, hails from our home state of Ohio! Specializing in rainwear and waterproof accessories, Totes truly began in 1942 and shot to fame after they introduced the first collapsible umbrella in 1970. From there on out, they began creating other popular rainwear, including the coveted water resistant scarf. This supermarket and drugstore brand is still operating today and boasts a large collection of colorful, waterproof accessories that even high fashion lovers love to sport!

Echo 

After its conception in the ‘20s, Echo began building an impressive arsenal of patterns that would build rapport until the late ‘70s when the scarf business began to see a decline. When the creators' daughter, Dorothy, took over the company after her husband’s death, she was determined to beat the dwindling sales and did just that in 1983 when the brand made its way into the European market. After a slew of licensing agreements with fashion and home goods giants like Ralph Lauren and Laura Ashley, the company began releasing more accessories and home furnishings that expanded their profits and popularity exponentially. Today, it is still privately owned by the family and this emerging lifestyle brand still celebrates their humble roots with their 95 anniversary just having passed in September. In their blog commemorating the event, they even go as far as saying that they feel responsible for bringing the scarf to the world of fashion (Bold statement! Do you agree?) 

Vera

Though there seems to be many famous Vera’s in the fashion industry (think Bradley and Wang), Vera Neumann is one of the most iconic of them all; her namesake brand made beautiful art affordable and not just a thing to be admired on the wall. With all of her scarf designs being based upon original paintings, it is evident that Vera had creative roots in textiles and illustration. When she began a silkscreen printing company with her husband George and their friend Frederick, it saw almost immediate success. In the midst of World War II, the growing company was looking for ways to continue manufacturing product despite heavy rations; she stumbled upon some parachute silk at an army surplus store and voila! Her scarf business was born. She created the first signature scarf in history with her name transferred to every product, making her a household favorite with recognition all around the country. Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and even the First Lady Bess Truman loved her designs as she requested the "Vera" fabric be used in White House Decor. Her iconic presence in both the art and fashion worlds landed her work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of History and Technology, and the Museum of Modern Art. She was even commissioned to paint the Foucault Pendulum in the Smithsonian, which can still be seen hanging in their offices today.

Elaine Gold

As one of the industry’s most knowledgeable scarf entrepreneurs, Elaine Gold got her start as Vera’s assistant where she was the studio business manager tasked with helping develop and market the scarf business. 19 years later, she joined another budding scarf business, Robinsons & Colluber, where she was one of the first to make waves in brand marketing for the scarf industry. She then joined another one of our designer favorites, Totes, and ran their XIIX Karats brand that she eventually bought in 1983. Changing its name to Collection XIIX, she built it into a powerhouse with licenses from Anne Klein and Jones New York. When Drew Pizzo bought her company in the ‘90s, she went on to create Elaine Gold Enterprises, which found its first license with the US Postal Service! She worked with the Met, Vera Bradley, and essentially anyone in the industry looking to promote their scarves as she was the “go to” expert in the field.

Though there are a wide variety of other scarf designers that paved the way for today’s successors, these are some of our favorites. In addition, Avon, Paoli, and Burmel created high quality designs that were affordable and can be seen in vintage shops all over the world. On the higher end, Valentino, Missoni, and Givenchy all have been creating luxury scarves adored by the industry for decades. To purchase any of these brands, check out our links throughout this post or search our collection to find some hidden gems of your own! 

Fashion’s Favorite Week Returns

By Paige McKirahan

Hello fashionistas! As you may know (or we would hope so, anyway), New York Fashion Week has finally returned to give us an inside look at this upcoming spring and summer’s hottest trends. Beginning on September 5^th, these seven days of glamour attract buyers, press, and pop culture phenomena to the streets of New York with the goal of celebrating designers in prestige and style. 

NYFW, which began in 1943, was created by Eleanor Lambert, a press director for the New York Dress Institute. At this time, you wouldn’t see your favorite actress or singer in the front row; what was formerly known as “Press Week” was truly only open to the press, with no buyers or industry figures permitted. She created the event to pull the public’s attention away from the fact that they were unable to travel to Paris to view shows during the second World War and hopefully shift focus to American designs. The event saw huge success and lead to publications like Vogue being more open to discussions of American creations more than ever before.

Eleanor Lambert at the first NYFW

(photo credits to guestofaguest.com)

In the mid 1950s, the name of the event was changed to “The Press Week of New York” and shows were held all over the city in venues of the designer’s choice. After that method proved to be disastrous (i.e. Michael Kors model’s getting hit with falling pieces of ceiling. Ouch!), the head of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Fern Mallis, moved all of the shows into white tents in Bryant Park. After that change in 1993, the name of NYFW was changed to “7^th on 6^th” after the event company that was founded by CFDA. 8 years later, IMG bought the event and officially renamed it New York Fashion Week. Mercedes-Benz, the current sponsor of the shows, has been supporting the Week since 2007, and the event grew so large that white tents in Bryant Park could no longer accommodate all of the insiders dying to gain access to these shows. The event was then held in Lincoln Center until 2014, then the skylights at Moynihan Station and Clarkson Square up until its arrival at the current venue.

Bryant Park during Fashion Week c. 1998

(Image credit to nytimes.com)

This year, the shows are being held in galleries at Spring Studios on Varick Street and many designers choose to utilize this space. In contrast, many also choose to have their events at more original venues outside of the IMG umbrella, like the John Elliot Co. show that could be seen at Pier 62 Skate park. Though Elliot put on a fabulous display, we were looking to spotlight a designer that is the true epitome of fabulousness: Jeremy Scott. 

Scott’s SS ’19 show was a playful look back at Jeremy in his early teens; the designer reminisced to his star studded audience about the fact that he most literally does not throw anything away and hasn’t since he was around 13 years old. He recalled that at that age, he once threw away a shirt he though he didn’t like anymore, regretting it only days later. That anguish prompted him to keep everything from that point on, creating a personal collection and style that was beautifully emulated in this NYFW display.

For this show, the designer ultimately looked inward for inspiration; as his own muse, he reflected on all the years that he was designing his own clothing and looks with no one to practice them on but himself. Polaroid’s of an adolescent Scott adorned pieces in the collection along with sequins, crystals, and 3D embroideries reading “RIOT”, “PEACE”,”SEX”, and “SHOCK”. His classic 1990s aesthetics were refined on an entirely new level than his previous work; his polishing in the leather and sport mesh pieces is sophisticated despite their youthful inspiration. Though he makes overt political statements with his weird and in-your-face style, it has a sense of refinement that allows his influence to truly shine through.

Here are some of our favorite looks from the show. What do you think—fab or drab?

 Spring 2019 Ready to Wear Jeremy Scott 

(Photo credits to vogue.com)

Take a note from Jeremy and be unapologetically yourself in the most brazen, emphatic way. Who better to be a muse for your creative expression than yourself?

Be sure to keep an eye on our blog over the next week as we will be spotlighting our other favorite Fashion Week shows and designers! To watch the magic happen on the runway in real time, head over to http://nyfw.com/live to view NYFW’s personal livestream!