The Romance of Russian Scarves

 When looking for souvenirs  to take home from Russia , the tourist can drown in the flood of Babushka nesting dolls . They come in all avatars , in all price ranges , of all materials and also printed on  all possible things, including the very attractive shopping bags in which souvenirs are packed for you. They are pretty, true, but very predictable .

The second most popular souvenir is the Scarf . I dont know if that is predictable too , but I did fall in love with them . ( And yes, The Babushka dolls wear scarves too !) 

(The Souvenir Carry Bag showing Babushka Doll wearing a Scarf )

Old or young , urban or rural , chic or dowdy , all Russian women have one indispensable item in their wardrobe : A length of fine woollen fabric , printed with eye catching floral designs , fringed with braided tassels . Variously called Scarf , Shawl or Kerchief .  "Sharf " in Russian . 

Invariably  in bright colours , with beautiful floral and paisley prints, they remind strongly of the illustrations  seen in Russian Fairy Tale books . Especially the beautifully detailed artwork of Ivan Bilibin for Alexander Pushkin"s "Tale of The Tsar Saltan". 

( Illustration for the story of Tsar Saltan - incredible details and colour combinations)

 The Scarf  can be a wrap , a poncho, a veil ,a muffler, a bandanna .....anything ! It goes as well with modern pant-suits as with traditional long skirts . This charming article of clothing is the most recognised accessory of women of the former Soviet nations.

 

( Painting by Philipp Malyavin (1869-1940) Credit: WikiCommons)

The Scarf's popularity dates back a little more than 200 years.

Pavlovo Posad , aka Pavlovsky , a small town 65 kms miles from Moscow , has always been a weaving center producing fabrics of very fine , soft wool , dyed in bright colours and embellished with some embroidery .

When the Czarist courts started showing great interest in Italian styles and products of the time , it naturally reflected on their attires too . Using Shawls came in vogue in Russia in the early 18th Century 

Floral motifs, cherubs , vines and scroll work , borrowed from art of the Renaissance , were much favoured.

It was a favourable period for the Textile industry in Pavlovo Posad  and business boomed .

Printing from engraved wooden blocks in three colours was perfected , but it soon made way for the richer colouring achieved by screen printing ( called Net Printing there ).

The region saw the rise of many celebrated textile artists and Pavlovo Posad scarves/ shawls became famous .

During the Stalinist regime, propagandist and folklore motifs were widespread, replacing imperial designs .

But now , its back to florals , paisley and geometricals .

Reportedly , all designs drafted by in-house artists today have to be approved by a department in The Ministry of Culture before getting printed !

 

The name Pavlovo Posad continues to be numero uno in this industry because the woolen yarn woven here is so fine as to be almost translucent .The hallmark of ‘a small rose within a square ‘, printed unobtrusively near the edge of the shawl/ scarf , ensures authenticity . These shawls can be expensive, much like the brand “ Mysore Silk” in our land . The special ones are handed down generations as heirlooms to be cherished . They are also gifted to churches to make vestments.

 The same “manufactories”( mills) also produce affordable scarves with wool in warp and viscose in weft . But, Printing quality remains the same .

 Colors red and golden yellow predominate , as they are metaphors for happiness . The most favoured motifs are roses and dahlia . The background is often a dark hue in order to show up the motifs better. Back looks just grand ( my favourite) , deep blue and bottle green being popular too. 

Did I buy Shawls to carry back home ? You best, I did !