Foulard

From the Provenµal word foulat, in French foulé, to indicate a fabric in silk, silk and cotton, or wool that is extremely light and cut in the shape of a square with a fairly wide base. It is an accessory that is sometimes indispensable, and never completely absent from the wardrobe, a small trifle in chiffon for a breast pocket, a big silk square to knot around the neck, large, in colors, rich in motifs woven on weft and warp, or printed in patterns, to be tied on a handbag or worn as a shawl around the shoulders. It is a very important item which adds to the prestige of even the most famous griffe. In France, those by Hermès, Dior, Saint-Laurent, Chanel, and Givenchy are famous. In Italy, the most prestigious ones are by Gucci, Ferragamo, and Roberta di Camerino, followed by all the great designers of ready-to-wear, from Mila Schön to Armani and Ferré. They are manufactured for the most part in Como, in workshops which also produce for themselves, according to designs created in-house, foulards that are admired for their very rich prints in floral, abstract, and geometric patterns that are obtained through a long process of many steps according to the number of colors selected.