In France, scarves are a classic staple of women’s fashion. Rather than only being used in the winter, the French wear scarves year-round, even in the summer. French scarves are divided into three categories based on the season that they are worn in. The une écharpe is a heavy narrow scarf worn in the winter, similar to the way scarves are used in many other countries.
These scarves are made of warm and heavy material, such as wool or cotton, and are shaped like a long rectangle. Un foulard are scarves worn in the spring and fall.
French Scarfs are made of light materials (such as silk), and as such don’t offer much protection from the cold. Instead, they are worn primarily as a fashion accessory. There are different techniques for tying Un folard scarves for different effects, and it can even be used as a headscarf.
Finally, une écharpe is similar to stoles, and are a thin, wide scarf made for colder weather.
French brands tend to produce scarves within their own country, making use of skilled artisans who have passed their trade down for generations. They also shy away from cheap materials, focusing instead on quality materials well worth their premium price.
Featuring artistic designs, artisinal quality, and luxury materials, French scarves are a unique fashion accessory that has gained worldwide popularity for a reason, and these top four brands feature some of the best on the market.
Top Four French Scarf Brands
1. Hermès – Best Designer Scarf
Hermès is one of the biggest and oldest names in French scarves, and was founded in 1837 in Paris. Today, the majority of the brand’s production remains in France, where their scarves and other fashion products are created and served to the international market. This brand employs many different artists to create their unique designs, making each scarf a wearable piece of art.
Selecting scarves to showcase Hermès’s scarf collections is a challenge. They offer hundreds of designs and colors, and each one is designed as a work of art, and is therefore somewhat subjective by nature.
For women, light silk scarves, warm cashmere shawls and stoles, and Hermès’s signature miniature Twilly scarf come in hundreds of colors, designs, sizes, and patterns. La Legende de la Foret is one example of Hermès’s silk Un folard style scarves. Designed by artist Emeline Piot, this intricately detailed scarf depicts woodland creatures both real and mythical drawn together in an entrancing dance.
This 36” by 36” hand-rolled silk scarf comes in four different color choices. Le Premier Chant is another popular pattern, designed by Sophia Andreotti and Edouard Baribeaud, a pair of artist who’s inspirations draw from fairy tales and mythology.
The pattern depicts a singer on a stage with a detailed visual representation of the music, and comes in color variations ranging from bold dark blues to soft pastels, and is printed on a hand-rolled silk twill scarf.
For winter scarves, Hermès offers primarily larger sized une écharpe stoles and shawls, with artistic and colorful patterns similar to their warmer weather counterparts.
The L’Ombrelle Magique une écharpe style shawl is made from a warm yet silky blend of cashmere and silk, and measures 55” by 55”. This design was made by Pierre Marie, and tells a fairy tale story inspired by a porcelain pheasant.
Rounding out Hermès women’s scarf collection is their popular Twilly scarves. These miniature scarves measure around 2” by 33”. While not as versatile as their larger Un folard cousins, these little silk scarves feature their own artistic designs, and add a whimsical and distinctly French touch to any outfit.
The Ex-libris Twilly sarf, designed by Hugo Grygkar, is a popular Twilly pattern whose current iteration is inspired by a design created by Alfred de Dreux in the 1800s to appeal to booklovers.
For men, Hermès offers masculine mufflers and losanges. The Garden of Harnesses rectangle is a warm winter scarf made of Hermès signature silk and cashmere blend, and shows a design made by Daisuke Nomura that depicts harness hardware in contrasting colors, for an artistic yet mechanical look.
The Mr Farrier scarf is an extra large 55” by 55” scarf made of cotton and silk, who’s design by artist Kin Fan Lo depicts a robot made of horseshoes surrounded by stylized farrier tools. Showcasing the brand’s origins as a harness-making company, Hermès most popular men’s designs showcase both equestrian and mechanical themes.
2. Anne Touraine – Best Women’s Scarf
Anne Touraine is a Parisian scarf brand founded in 1994 by a founder of the same name. Specializing in women’s scarves that combine classic looks with modern styles, these high end scarves have become a hit around the world, and the brand has even opened stores in the United States to meet the high demand. Anne Touraine’s scarves are organized into seven different collections, each with their own unique flair.
The brand’s French Silk Twill Scarf collection contains classic Parisian silk un foulard scarves in a range of colors and patterns, from stripes to floral and geometric patterns. The Silk Chiffon Stole collection contains long, oblong stoles in classic polka dots or dog and cat patterns. These scarves are made of 100% silk chiffon, and can be worn either as a large scarf or draped across the shoulders.
The Large Silk Satin Scarf collection contains hand rolled 47” x 47” 100% silk scarves with a satin finish. These scarves are exceptionally soft and have that signature satin sheen, and are large enough to be worn in a variety of ways.
The XL Silk Chiffon Scarf collection features extra large scarves feature the same 100% silk chiffon material as Anne Touraine’s stoles, but in a whopping 54” x 54” size.
These loud and colorful scarves look excellent worn around the neck, draped across the shoulders, worn as a headscarf, or tied around a hat. The Silk-Cotton Bandana series showcases small, colorful scarves made of a blend of silk and cotton. These 27” x 27” hand rolled bandanas can be worn as a small warm weather neck scarf, as a headband, or to tie back hair, and look just as great on men as they do on women.
For the colder months, the Silk-Cashmere Scarf collection keeps out the chill in style with a blend of cozy cashmere and soft silk. These 78”x28” come in several soft pastel colors, and have a 3” fringe on both ends.
Finally, the Silk Twilly collection offers miniature 39”x4” 100% silk scarves that add a splash of bright color and personality to any outfit.
3.Philéone – Best Men’s Scarf
Philéone is a brand that has been family owned and operates continuously for five generations since its founding in 1890. These scarves are designed in Croix Rousse, in the Lyon region of France, and then manufactured in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes. These scarves are designed to reflect humanist values, as well as concern for the environment.
While they carry women’s scarves as well, Philéone is best known for their men’s une écharpe scarves. Offering an assortment of masculine colors and patterns, there’s a warm winter scarf from Philéone for all kinds of men’s fashion.
The Noé wool scarf has a classic, bulky, hand knitted style, and comes in seven different colors. The Boris wool and cotton scarf is made with a jacquard weave, and offers warmth from wool and lightness from cotton. The Camille mohair scarf contains 20% mohair for exceptional warmth and softness, and a casual plaid design.
For the warmer months, Philéone also offers several tubular silk men’s scarves, such as the Zellige scarf, which can be tied either as a scarf, or similarly to a tie.
For women, Philéone carries both heavy winter and lighter silk scarves, as well as a limited number of small bandanas. The Anouchka wool and silk scarf comes in a small 45 x 190 cm size, as well as in a 70 x1 90 cm stole size. This warm and cozy scarf keeps out the chill, without being bulky.
The Belle is a classic merino wool scarf with a stringy fringe that comes in several color choices. The Louise silk scarf is an example of the brand’s women’s un foulard silk scarves. Designed by Lyon Louise, this scarf has a satin and chiffon weave, with print set of cashmere, burgundy, and black and white fins.
The Lucie silk bandana is an example of the small, colorful bananas offered by Philéone. Made of 100% silk and featuring a floral print, this summer bandana makes a great small neck scarf.
4.La Fabrique d’écharpe – Best Children’s Scarf
La Fabrique d’écharpe is a French brand that has been family-owned and operated since the French Revolution. Utilizing both traditional jacquard weaving as well as innovative modern techniques, all of this brand’s exceptional scarves are made in France out of high quality, luxury materials.
While La Fabrique d’écharpe offers a large catalog of scarves for both men and women, the brand stands out from the competition for its unique scarves made for children. Made for ages 2-12, these scarves are made out of 100% organic cotton with a soft weave and fluffy feel.
There’s no need to worry about knots, since the scarves are made with a circular design easy for young children to put on and take off.
There are a wide assortment of fun bright colors to pick from, and many different embroidered designs featuring rabbits, snowmen, kittens, dinosaurs, and many other child-friendly designs. Your child’s name can also be embroidered on the scarf along with the fun pattern.
The materials used in the production of these warm, elastic scarves are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified, guaranteeing that the cotton used is organic and grown and processed in an environmentally and socially responsible way. The children’s scarves are machine washable on a delicate cycle, and so can be worn on any kind of outdoor adventure.
In addition to their children’s scarves, La Fabrique d’écharpe also offers scarves for both men and women. Their merino wool scarves are warm, light and next-to-the-skin soft, with none of the itchiness associated with coarser wools. Mixed with silk, cotton, cashmere, or modal, these scarves come in both narrow and wide shapes, as well as a variety of colors and patterns.
In addition to merino wool, La Fabrique d’écharpe features a line of scarves made from cashmere. Spun from the downy undercoat of goats, cashmere is a premium material known for extreme softness and exceptional warmth. The cashmere scarves are blended with merino wool and silk to reach the heights of luxury.
A line of thin and soft silk scarves make a great choice for fashionable summer scarves. The brand offers hypoallergenic cotton scarves well suited for people with sensitive skin, and even offers a line of scarves made of GOST certified BIO cotton for customers worried about the environmental impact of cotton.
A collection of wedding scarves and stoles made of exceptionally light 100% are a great finishing touch for wedding dresses or elegant gala outfits. For men, La Fabrique d’écharpe offer a variety of trendy scarves made of natural materials in masculine colors and patterns. Whether you prefer, merino wool, silk, cotton, or linen, these winter scarves are designed to look as great as they feel.
Conclusions
French scarves are a way to add a splash of color and classic style to any outfit. These versatile accessories look great however they are worn, and there’s a style suitable for any occasion or season.
There are options for every age and style, and when buying from a French brand you can rest assured that only the best materials were used by the talented artisans who make these unique fashion accessories.
Whether you are looking for a bright summery headscarf to wear on your drive down to the beach, are bundling up your toddler to play in the snow, want a subdued plaid scarf to go with your men’s winter outerwear, or want to add an artistic flair to any fashion, there is a French scarf brand waiting to add that finishing touch to your outfit.