Varanasi Silk Scarf – 55x180cm

At the pink end of purple sits this magenta silk scarf: a vivid, bright shade that lightens towards orchid pink wherever the cloth folds and catches the light. Its tone-on-tone pattern is something you glimpse and feel more than see, and soft pink tassels at the ends echo the paler colour in the folds.

It is woven in Varanasi, India, entirely from silk, using fine yarns dyed before they go on the loom. The jacquard weave gives the surface its texture, and at 55 × 180 cm the scarf is fine, light and floaty. Wear it knotted once at the neck under a jacket, or let it hang loose over a plain dress; it brings brightness more than warmth.

Reviewers of our Varanasi scarves talk about colour, softness and giving them as gifts. Tessa found hers “exactly as shown in the photo”, with “an attractive jacquard imprint”, and Isabel, who bought one as a present, described the silk as “so smooth and cool to the touch”. Not everyone has had the same experience with colour: a few buyers felt theirs looked different from the picture, so allow for some variation if you are matching an outfit.