For years, men’s accessories followed a familiar script. Watches made the statement, ties meant business, and anything too decorative was often dismissed as excessive. But fashion has quietly rewritten those rules. The latest accessory to emerge as menswear’s unexpected hero is the scarf. Once associated with vintage movie stars and 1970s rock icons, scarves are making a sophisticated comeback.
Scarves on the runway
Luxury fashion houses have led the revival. At Ralph Lauren’s Spring/Summer 2027 menswear show in Milan, vibrant silk scarves replaced conventional neckwear, lending relaxed glamour to tailored looks. Prada reimagined printed silk scarves as modern cummerbunds, with fashion designers Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons styling them around the waist and hips. At Saint Laurent, Anthony Vaccarello paired narrow silk scarves with sharp tailoring, while Jonathan Anderson layered scarves over formal coats and suits for his Dior Men’s Summer 2027 debut.
How are leading men styling scarves
The trend has quickly moved beyond the runway. Actor Pedro Pascal recently attended the Jackass: Best and Last premiere in Los Angeles wearing a charcoal double-breasted suit with a rich purple silk scarf draped around his neck.
Closer home, actor Vishal Jethwa paired a sheer black shirt with a matching lightweight scarf at an award show, while actor-model Saqib Saleem styled a monochromatic blue ensemble with a coordinating silk scarf, proving the accessory can replace a tie without looking overly formal.
A new era of masculine style
Costume designer Sia Seth believes the trend feels natural in the Indian context. She says, “The West has, in many ways, taken the dupatta and reinterpreted it as the Scandinavian-style scarf for women. Indian men have always worn scarves in different forms. Whether it’s the dupatta worn with traditional attire or the stole paired with sherwanis, draped fabric has long been part of our dressing vocabulary.”
She says the difference lies in how scarves are now being styled. “Today, scarves are being draped casually around the neck, styled in place of ties, wrapped around the waist like cummerbunds, or layered over tailoring as statement pieces, making them as versatile as they are expressive.”
How to wear the scarf this summer
Fashion stylist and creative director Vhikram Sseth shares simple ways to wear the trend:
- Choose breathable fabrics: Opt for cotton or linen during the day, and lightweight silk for evenings and formal occasions
- Pair it with tailoring: Style it with a linen blazer, relaxed suit or open-collar shirt for an effortless finish
- Add colour thoughtfully: Stick to tonal shades or subtle prints, or use a brighter scarf to lift darker outfits
- Don’t over-style: Wear it loosely around the neck, as a tie or as a cummerbund to make the look more relaxed rather than overly polished
- Keep accessories minimal: Let the scarf be the focal point by skipping chunky jewellery or oversized lapels
