The Scarf Edit: How Pre-Fall Collections Are Styling Scarves
Whether tied on your bag or styled as a top, scarves and twills are the easiest accessories to inject personality into your look. Here’s how fashion insiders are wearing them now.
Hot take: if you were to ask me what the ultimate year-round accessory is, I'd say that it's the scarf. It's a style chameleon. From bandanas, to twillies, to even shawls, there's a scarf variety for every type of weather and season. And as the weather starts to flip-flop between sweltering days and cool nights, the latest Pre-Fall collections are showing just how versatile scarves can be, not just for layering, but for elevating. Need a statement piece that adds texture? Something to tie together all your bag charms? Or something to hide your bedhead? The answer to all of this is the scarf. Here are some ways the Pre-Fall collections have styled scarves.
THE GRANNY CORE SCARF
You might recognise this as the 'Italian Granny' or 'Babushka' trend on TikTok. Either way, it's the scarf style that everyone's been jumping on as we transition from summer to autumn. It's a trend inspired by the retro styling of mature women who wore silk headscarves around their heads and necks. Spotted in Moschino's women's Pre-Fall 2025 collection, the style is pretty versatile between seasons
AS A BALACLAVA
Before this became the viral It-headgear in 2021, balaclavas (also known as ski masks) were mainly for winter sports and maybe a bank heist. As it began to infiltrate rap and hip-hop culture, balaclavas eventually seeped into mainstream and luxury fashion, making their way onto the runways with brands like Givenchy and Gucci. As of 2025, the hashtag '#balaclava' has over 36 million videos on TikTok, cementing itself as a Gen Z fashion obsession. It's perfect for the summer-autumn season. Depending on its material, it can offer UV protection, a shield from biting winds, and
AS A HEADSCARF
The headscarf style comes in many variations—each with roots in various cultures and even religions. In this way, scarves are more than an accessory, they're also a symbol of identity and tradition. From the hijab, to dupattas, to durags, each style comes with its own story and history. As fashion continues to toe the line between appreciation and appropriation, many Pre-Fall collections featured various headscarves.
From Gucci, to Dolce & Gabbana, to Dior and Chanel, luxury fashion brands reinterpreted the headscarf with a nod to rich traditions from Italy to China. The result? A cross-cultural, contemporary remix that proves headscarves aren’t just nostalgic, but layered in meaning. After all, headscarves aren’t just a throwback, they’re a statement.
AS A SCARF-HAT HYBRID
Equal parts cozy and chic, the hooded scarf is making a comeback. Quick history lesson: hooded scarves have roots in practical wear across colder regions, often seen in Russian and Nordic styles. In pop culture, they’ve been immortalised in 60s mod fashion and even medieval-inspired silhouettes. For Pre-Fall 2025, luxury brands are giving the hooded scarf a bold update such as this Chanel beanie from the brand's Hangzhou-inspired Metiers d'Art collection (okay, so it's not pre-fall, but it does hit boutiques in the middle of the year too- find out more about this annual collection that's unique to Chanel here). A spin on the hat and scarf combination, it's the perfect style hack for transitional weather. Throw one on and instantly serve mystery, movement, and main character energy.
IN SIZE XXL
Go big or go home. Sometimes what you need to make an outfit a headturner is an accessory in extra, extra large. This look from Balenciaga's features a mega-scarf. To be exact, the brand repurposed outerwear as scarves (in this case, it's a bathrobe). It's an ultra-casual vibe; its effortlessness and comfort at its most extreme. While you don't have to wrap a bathrobe around your neck, an extra chunky, extra long scarf would do just as nicely.
AS A NECKTIE
Ties traditionally project power and professionalism; designer Pre-Fall collections prove how versatile scarves can be. Depending on pattern and material, scarves as ties make a look fun, playful, and an easy way to add a fashion-forward twist to any outfit. From Moschino to Louis Vuitton, brands have leaned into this borrowed-from-the-boys look with luxe but playful accessories. Whether you're going for office siren or an androgynous look, the necktie scarf is your shortcut to looking polished, with some personality.
AS CHOKERS
Scarves are also getting the choker treatment, and it's giving polished yet seductive. While chokers have a long history as bold statements across eras and cultures (from the OG ballet-core satin ribbons in 1800s Paris, to punk icons in the ‘90s), this season’s luxury swaps leather and chains for silk and subtlety. Like Dior's Fall 2025 collection in Kyoto; gorgeous twillies with flower motifs, tied snugly around the neck, serving romantic-cabaret-meets-Japanese-artistic-tradition. It’s the ultimate power move: soft, strong, and just the right amount of extra.
FOR FUNCTIONALITY
We've seen scarves be transformed into purses, and more. Now, designers are working overtime to prove that we never need to choose between style and functionality. Case in point: Louis Vuitton's Pre-Fall 2025 campaign where a twilly was used to create a makeshift eyewear chain. Whether you're securing your essentials or adding some personality to everyday function, these fashion hacks prove that scarves are a fashion multitasker.
FOR DRESSING UP YOUR BAG
Of course, we couldn't not mention this style must-do: bag accessorising. It's been the biggest fashion trend on TikTok for a while now, and Pre-Fall 2025 proves that it's not going anywhere. Whether your breathing new life into a tote bag, or elevating a statement purse, a scarf is your shortcut to making any bag feel brand new.