Ascher Studio Returns to Scarf Business

August 30, 2010 by Accessories Staff 

Graham Sutherland 'Trellis' scarf in cashmere in new colors by Ascher London.

London—Ascher Studio, famed for scarf collaborations with artists and designers from the 1940s to 1960s, has launched its first collection in 30 years.
Sam Ascher, fourth generation director of the veteran company, recently returned to London “where my grandparents founded the company and created so many of the historic designs in our archives. There is great interest in vintage mid-century design, both in fashion and interiors, so re-issuing scarves from our archive in fashionable sizes and fabrics is the most contemporary move I could make.”
The Ascher name is closely linked to great mid-century fashion designers such as Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jean Muir, Mary Quant and Pierre Cardin, for whom the studio made textiles.

Zika and Lida Ascher, Sam’s grandparents, had left Prague on the eve of World War II and moved to London where they started screen printing on scarves and other textiles. Using his close links to fine artists in France and England, Zika Ascher asked them to design prints for his collection.
In addition, there are four new designs: Flowers, a floral originally by Ascher’s grandmother Lida; Ascher plaid;  and, Rose Pompom is based on an Ascher pattern that featured prominently in the Christian Dior’s 1954 collection; Papier Dechiré, a geometric abstract reminiscent of an early 1960s non-objective painting.