The Scarf Is the Accessory of the Season: Meet the New Maison Fanli Cotton & Silk Scarves

In Paris this season, the scarf isn't only worn around the neck.

It's knotted onto bag handles and threaded through belt loops. It's twisted into a ponytail or tied over the hair, bandana style, on the way to a café terrace. Parisian women have always known that a square of printed fabric can do more for an outfit than almost anything else in the wardrobe. This spring, the rest of the world has caught on.

Our timing is good, because the new Maison Fanli cotton & silk scarves have just arrived at French Bazaar. They're designed in Paris and light enough for an Australian spring and summer. The prints are bold, and there's a whole new colour story to go with them.

Discover the full Maison Fanli scarf collection →

Why Cotton & Silk Is the Fabric of Warm Days

Winter belonged to wool & silk. Spring and summer call for something lighter. The new Maison Fanli blend is 70% cotton and 30% silk. The cotton is soft and breathable, and the silk gives a fluid drape and a subtle sheen. It's light enough to wear against the skin on a warm afternoon and polished enough for dinner out. It also has that easy, lived-in feel that makes you reach for it every day.

It's the scarf you'll pack for the beach, wear to the market and tie to your bag for a weekend away.

Five Ways to Wear It (the Parisian Way)

1. Knotted on Your Bag

Tying a scarf to your bag is the quickest way to make it look new. Twist a small 70×70 cm scarf or a 50×50 cm silk square around the handle and let the ends fall loose. It looks especially good on a raffia Hector bag or a Margot clutch. Try the Gâteaux Fous Pink Lavender for a playful touch or the Enchanted Horse Mustard for a sunny one.

2. Around the Waist, as a Belt

This is the styling trick of the season. Fold a large 110×110 cm scarf into a long band and thread it through the belt loops of your jeans. Or knot it at the hip over a linen dress. It adds colour and movement and gives a simple outfit a lot of attitude. The Night Panther Blue looks sharp with denim. The Boudoir Gold warms up white linen.

3. In Your Hair

Wrap it around a low ponytail, braid it into a plait or tie it as a headband with the knot on top. A 100% silk scarf is soft on the hair, and on a messy bun it looks very Left Bank.

4. On Your Head, Bandana Style

Fold it into a triangle and tie it at the nape of the neck. Add sunglasses and a bold lip, and you look like you just stepped off a Vespa on the Riviera. It's chic and practical, and it's how you keep your hair in place on a windy day at the beach. A 70×70 cm cotton & silk scarf is the perfect size. Try the Silk Road Beige for an understated look.

5. And, of Course, Around the Neck

This is the classic, and it never gets old. Knot it loosely at the front or tie it close like a neckerchief, or drape it over your shoulders on a cooler evening. The 90×90 cm silk square is the most versatile size. The Romantic Paris Cream goes with everything. For more ideas, read our guide to how Parisians wear a silk scarf every day.

Bonus: The XL Scarf That Becomes a Sarong

Our biggest format is the 140×140 cm XL scarf, and it's made for Australian summer. Wear it as a light shawl in the evening, a wrap over your shoulders or a sarong tied at the hip over your swimsuit. It goes from the city to the sea without a change. The Aquaparc Original and the Romantic Escapade Turquoise were practically designed for it.

The Prints We Love This Season

Every Maison Fanli design is created in Paris, and each one has its own personality. A few of our favourites from the new cotton & silk collection:

• Lanterns Red: warm and graphic, like a summer night.
• Floral Bouquet Yellow: pure sunshine, lovely with white and denim.
• Paisley: a bohemian classic with a Parisian twist.
• Night Panther: for those who like a little wildness, in blue or green.

You'll also find Aquaparc, Boudoir, Enchanted Horse, Silk Road, Tropical Temple, Forgotten Temple and Gâteaux Fous in the cotton & silk collection.

Written in the Stars: The Astro Scarves

This is our favourite new series. Maison Fanli has illustrated the signs of the zodiac, and each one comes in cotton & silk: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces (in blue or pink), Taurus and Capricorn. It's a scarf that's personal to you, and a very thoughtful gift. Try the Astro Pisces Pink or the Astro Capricorn, and find your own sign in 70, 110 or 140 cm.

Find Your Size

• XL 140×140 cm (cotton & silk): shawl, wrap, sarong, beach cover-up.
• Large 110×110 cm (cotton & silk or wool & silk): around the neck, over the shoulders, tied at the waist.
• Medium 90×90 cm (100% silk, hand-rolled edges): the classic Parisian square.
• Small 70×70 cm (cotton & silk or wool & silk): bandana, neckerchief, bag scarf.
• XS 50×50 cm (100% silk): in the hair, on a bag, as a neckerchief.

Prefer to shop by fabric? Browse 100% silk, cotton & silk or wool & silk. 

Your Summer Accessory Edit

Complete the look with a hand fan for hot afternoons and a UV protection umbrella for sunny days. A scarf on your bag finishes it off.

One square, endless ways to wear it: on your bag, at your waist, in your hair or around your neck. This is the season to try them all.

Shop the new Maison Fanli cotton & silk scarves →