Discover two exquisite new silk scarf designs, each a wearable masterpiece, weaving stories of love, choice, and the timeless elegance of tradition. Inspired by the rich heritage and heartfelt customs of Mărginimea Sibiului, these scarves are more than accessories—they are storytellers, carrying the spirit of ancestral craftsmanship and meaningful rituals into the modern world.
The Wings Silk Scarf
This scarf is inspired by the timeless beauty of winged spinning distaffs. With totemic symbolism and carrying messages of eternal love, these distaffs were once crafted by shepherds who journeyed to the mountains with the Feast of Saints Constantine and Helen and returned at Saint Demetrius’ Day. Their motivation? Love. These distaffs were gifts for their sweethearts or fiancées. The young women would either choose to keep the received distaff or refuse it, often by breaking it—a decisive gesture of rejecting the shepherd’s affection.
If the shepherds knew how to write, the distaffs would often bear engravings of the year, the name of their beloved, and sometimes verses of love. Typically, these gifts were presented during gatherings known as “șezători,” symbolic and affectionate gestures steeped in tradition.
The distaff engraved with the name Alice is inspired by an exhibit at the “Ioan Raica” Municipal Museum in Sebeș, originating from the village of Șugag. The remaining distaffs are based on old designs of broken distaffs collected from Mărginimea Sibiului by Octavian Goga in the village of Tilișca and published in Luceafărul, no. 4, February 15, 1906.
The symbolism of the spinning distaff extends beyond the romantic realm; they narrate an ancient story, as old as humanity itself: “a fundamental narrative of primordial cosmogony, where the mountain—cosmic tree and altar alike—served by Venus and guarded by Mars, protects the Universal Spirit, which ‘has made its dwelling in the Sun,’ as David wrote in Psalm 18” (Ion Drăgușanul).
Lovers Silk Scarf
This exquisite scarf draws inspiration from one of the captivating artworks in The Calendar Collection: the “Lovers” painting. The painting tells a story of love, community, and tradition, rooted in the customs of Mărginimea Sibiului.
On Easter Sunday, the morning unfolds in serene stillness, until the church bells, perched on a hill at the heart of the village, chime around 10 o’clock, their resonant sound filling the air. The villagers gather at the cemetery, where they adorn family graves with intricately embroidered traditional towels. Upon these, they place red eggs, pretzels, a bottle of wine, and plates of fruit cake, honoring their loved ones with care and reverence.
A unique tradition unfolds for the “bride and groom” couples—those who were married within the past year, from the previous Easter to the present one. Together with their godparents, they return to the cemetery to share “sweet wine” from the same bottles used at their wedding, offering it to their former wedding guests in this deeply symbolic setting. This gesture of hospitality culminates in an invitation to the “Easter Lunch,” a feast that mirrors the wedding menu, celebrating the union of love and community once again. In turn, the guests bring gifts, often practical items like kitchenware or, more recently, appliances, to support the newlyweds as they build their new life together.
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Wings Silk Twill Scarf 90×90 cm
• Made from 100% silk twill with hand-finished edges, 12mm thickness. • Original Alice design,…
Lovers Silk Twill Scarf 90×90 cm
• Made from 100% silk twill with hand-finished edges, 12mm thickness. • Original Alice design,…