The Return Of The Turban

Eliza Scarborough   |   11-01-2018

The turban, a staple of the 70’s, has been seeing a comeback since it was prominently featured on the Marc Jacobs SS18 runway, and at Proenza Schouler and Prada in seasons before. Glance then at November 2017’s biggest fashion media story, the relaunch of British Vogue under new editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, and it’s clear to see that respect to the past, with a modern and inclusive outlook, is key, showcased perfectly via one simple accessory, the turban.

 

Traditionally worn by Sikh men, it was not until the Twenties that fashionable ladies adopted the turban, often wearing swathes of fabric stitched to a small cloche hat to mimic the effect without the fuss. At its most humble, it provided a practical style solution for women in the Forties, who tied cotton headscarves in the manner of a turban while they worked as Land Girls, inspired by stars such as Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo, who were known for embracing winding folds made popular by French milliner Madame Paulette.

 

 

Quietly confident, oozing a new era of glamour for the Instagram generation, the elegant fashion accessory has also adorned the heads of Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Rita Ora, as well as Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Herzigova, and Amal Clooney. Having languished in the style doldrums since the Seventies, when they were wildly popular among the jet-set and young royals Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Grace of Monaco, it has had the ultimate re-invention. From the Stephen Jones-designed headpieces recently in the spotlight at Marc Jacobs, to the Jennifer Behr turban completing Sofia Coppola’s look captured by Steven Meisel, the key is for them to be intricately detailed with sparkling brooches or meticulously coordinated with their wearer’s ensembles, for the strongest statement.

 

By Eliza Scarborough

 

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