Twillies are back in fashion and Carte Blanche is adding an androgynous update

The ethical luxury label opts for a gender-fluid route
Carte Blanche's Ortus line is a pre-fall wonder
Carte Blanche's Ortus line is a pre-fall wonder

A skinny twilly can chic up any old thing, and homegrown luxury label Carte Blanche is taking practical silk knots to another level with its new line, Ortus. The pre-fall collection features silk scarves, twillies, stoles, and accessories that use techniques of Picchwai paintings to capture the transient dark beauty, inspired by the Renaissance gardens. 

"Millennials and Gen-Z buyers love our twillies, which are Parisian-style skinny scarves and bandana/ pocket squares because they pack maximum style punch in a small size - and are superb collectibles and gifts," Vatsala Holani of Carte Blanche shares. The label uses single-origin heirloom-quality silk produced ethically and responsibly, with a focus on sustainable processing. 

Enchanted Garden silk handkerchief
Enchanted Garden silk handkerchief

"Carte Blanche was born from a conversation on rejuvenating fading treasures of art and culture. By crafting them into heirloom accessories like scarves and ties, we bring infusions of colour to the modern wardrobe. Our rich hand-illustrated prints use pigments that are specially curated and tested, while we continuously work on our sustainable, waste-free processing and material research," Holani adds.

The Ortus line steers towards an avant-garde aesthetic with its new-wave floral prints and gender-fluid stoles and handkerchief wraps that are also surprisingly workwear-friendly. Holani shared some insight into how the line was conceived for the current luxury market space:

Tell us about the inspirations behind the Ortus line.

Ortus talks about 'emergence' in a post-pandemic world, inspired by the best experiences of an Italian summer. Whether it is rare Italian moths peeping out from under Bougainvillea flowers, or mosaics from a city buried in lava, our prints capture life and art breaking free. 

Signature maxi twilly by Carte Blanche
Signature maxi twilly by Carte Blanche

What are the fabrics you're focusing on and how are you sourcing them?

We work with our local vendors in the south of India on heavyweight silk in twill weave - a quality that's used by international brands like Hermès. Our suppliers are fair-wage and non-polluting looms, with traditional expertise in silk weaving. 

Have you experienced a shift in buying patterns or a surge in sales amid the slowdown/ pandemic? 

People are traveling and commuting less during the pandemic, which means they dress for their own enjoyment and comfort now. Customers are moving towards pieces that 'spark joy' in them, as a treat in the current environment. 

What are the biggest scarf trends at the moment? 

Scarf tops and scrunchies were huge this summer, and for autumn/winter we expect headscarves to take their moment in the spotlight. Dior and Versace both showed scarves as head and hair accessories in their A/W21 collections - a continuation of the trend from last year.

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