Drake’s Ridiculously Cool Printed Scarves Are On Fire Right Now

If there was a must-have accessory this season, it was Drake’s printed silk scarves. At times it seemed like you couldn’t walk down the street without seeing the vibrant yellows and and burnt oranges of a Drake’s joint peeking out from under someone’s overcoat. And they just released a lineup of new ones for Spring. If it was surprising to see this retro, peacock-y accessory so frequently (especially in a streetwear-heavy era), there are plenty of reasons why Drake’s scarves have become a lot of guys’ go-to. Though they’ve become most well-known for ties, London-based Drake’s was founded, in 1977, as a scarf maker. The jaunty, striking prints—alluring bait for street style-photographers—borrow directly from their deep archives. Drake’s creative director Michael Hill (whose father helped launch the company way back when) is fond of taking elements from vintage swatches and re-drawing them to present the elegant designs in a new way. “I’m not sure you’d be seeing the same thing 40 years ago as the scarves we make now,” said Hill. “But in some instances you wouldn’t necessarily see things so dissimilar.” Drake’s also manufactures their scarves using the traditional dye and discharge method, in which each color is screened on one-by-one. It’s more labor-intensive than inject printing, but creates a much more lustrous print. “The old fashioned way of doing it creates a better product. It’s not just for the sake of the story—it makes things more beautiful,” says Hill. Read more at GQ Style.