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Meet the new Begg, rebranded Begg and Co, now designing scarves of its own, and with a brand new minimalist logo. The company remains the same one that has been weaving Scottish cloth since the 19th century, as the pattern book with items dating back to the 1920's suggests.
When I'm looking for a scarf, I want it to be warm, I want it to feel great wrapped around my neck, I want it to have dimensions sufficient for tying the knots I want, and finally, I want it to be interesting - since it's taking up a lot of important real estate in my outfit - but easy to pair with other items, since I don't want to build a scarf collection as big as my tie collection to accessorize all my different jackets.
The first few requirements should be easy enough to design, and yet in your typical department store you'll find a number of scarves that can't make their way through a typical Parisian knot, as manufacturers are constantly trying to cut fabric in order to save money. This was not a problem with any of the Begg scarves I saw. The dimensions are not uniform, as each scarf is designed according to the properties of the fabric and how it is meant to be tied. But you'll never find yourself frustrated with a lack of fabric needed to tie a nice knot on a Begg scarf.
But the combination of visual interest and versatility is really what separates an invaluable scarf from a pedestrian one. Fortunately, with Michael Drake consulting through his company Man Drake as well as Angela Bell of Queen and Belle, we are in good hands. Let's look at a couple of ways that Begg achieves a scarf that is attractive while remaining versatile enough to wear with virtually any menswear outfit.
The first is what they call their "Nuance" scarf, which gradually fades from one color to another over the length of the scarf. This fading is done not by dip-dying the fabric but rather by actually altering the ratio of the different colored threads in the weaving process. The yarns must be measured and dyed by hand in order to achieve the proper effect, a process which is unique to Begg and Co. The fabric is then run through a machine that is hand-fitted with dried teasels, which brush the fabric and give it a very slight shaggy texture. Between the color fading and the interest from the texture, you've got yourself a very handsome scarf that is definitely not boring, but which you can grab out the door without even thinking about what else you're wearing that day.
The second is their collection of washed cashmere scarves. This was one of the very few items at Pitti that I knew I would definitely be purchasing once it becomes available (the cashmere and silk Drake's scarves were another such item - I suppose my shopping cart will be scarf-heavy this fall). These are cashmere scarves that are literally washed in water until they get the rough finish that you see in the photos.
For me, this was particularly effective on the neutral colored fabrics. To my Classic Menswear eye, the formality of the navy struggles with the roughness of the finish. But on the cream and tan colors it comes out beautifully. It's just a neutral solid scarf, so it will go with everything you have. But it's not boring because of all the texture it has. Perhaps too much to look at home with a full city suit look (the same scarves are available without the washing treatment for a smoother finish), but anything short of that, and this will fit right in. And while the brushed cashmere scarves feel like a soft lustrous fur coat against your skin, these give you a satisfying bit of crunchiness.
Begg and Co will launch its own online retail site in September, in time to order scarves in preparation for the colder weather in the Northern Hemisphere. With any luck global warming will hold off long enough to give me a few winters of wearing Begg scarves in DC.
The new Begg and Co logo
Patterns from the '20s.
The Nuance scarf.
Teasles. The ones used in the actual teasel-ing are smaller.
Beautiful washed cashmere scarves.
Bonus shot: in the middle you see a scarf in the original Prince of Wales pattern, in the original colors. It's going to be hard for me to resist that one too.
When I'm looking for a scarf, I want it to be warm, I want it to feel great wrapped around my neck, I want it to have dimensions sufficient for tying the knots I want, and finally, I want it to be interesting - since it's taking up a lot of important real estate in my outfit - but easy to pair with other items, since I don't want to build a scarf collection as big as my tie collection to accessorize all my different jackets.
The first few requirements should be easy enough to design, and yet in your typical department store you'll find a number of scarves that can't make their way through a typical Parisian knot, as manufacturers are constantly trying to cut fabric in order to save money. This was not a problem with any of the Begg scarves I saw. The dimensions are not uniform, as each scarf is designed according to the properties of the fabric and how it is meant to be tied. But you'll never find yourself frustrated with a lack of fabric needed to tie a nice knot on a Begg scarf.
But the combination of visual interest and versatility is really what separates an invaluable scarf from a pedestrian one. Fortunately, with Michael Drake consulting through his company Man Drake as well as Angela Bell of Queen and Belle, we are in good hands. Let's look at a couple of ways that Begg achieves a scarf that is attractive while remaining versatile enough to wear with virtually any menswear outfit.
The first is what they call their "Nuance" scarf, which gradually fades from one color to another over the length of the scarf. This fading is done not by dip-dying the fabric but rather by actually altering the ratio of the different colored threads in the weaving process. The yarns must be measured and dyed by hand in order to achieve the proper effect, a process which is unique to Begg and Co. The fabric is then run through a machine that is hand-fitted with dried teasels, which brush the fabric and give it a very slight shaggy texture. Between the color fading and the interest from the texture, you've got yourself a very handsome scarf that is definitely not boring, but which you can grab out the door without even thinking about what else you're wearing that day.
The second is their collection of washed cashmere scarves. This was one of the very few items at Pitti that I knew I would definitely be purchasing once it becomes available (the cashmere and silk Drake's scarves were another such item - I suppose my shopping cart will be scarf-heavy this fall). These are cashmere scarves that are literally washed in water until they get the rough finish that you see in the photos.
For me, this was particularly effective on the neutral colored fabrics. To my Classic Menswear eye, the formality of the navy struggles with the roughness of the finish. But on the cream and tan colors it comes out beautifully. It's just a neutral solid scarf, so it will go with everything you have. But it's not boring because of all the texture it has. Perhaps too much to look at home with a full city suit look (the same scarves are available without the washing treatment for a smoother finish), but anything short of that, and this will fit right in. And while the brushed cashmere scarves feel like a soft lustrous fur coat against your skin, these give you a satisfying bit of crunchiness.
Begg and Co will launch its own online retail site in September, in time to order scarves in preparation for the colder weather in the Northern Hemisphere. With any luck global warming will hold off long enough to give me a few winters of wearing Begg scarves in DC.
The new Begg and Co logo
Patterns from the '20s.
The Nuance scarf.
Teasles. The ones used in the actual teasel-ing are smaller.
Beautiful washed cashmere scarves.
Bonus shot: in the middle you see a scarf in the original Prince of Wales pattern, in the original colors. It's going to be hard for me to resist that one too.
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