For nearly 20 years now Benoit Pierre Emery has been collecting silk scarvesperhaps the ultimate fashion accessoryexploring boutiques and flea markets to amass an astounding assortment of 10,000 pieces (and growing). Carré. A Vintage Scarf Collection presents around 6,500 of these scarves, which Emery acquires according to their individual aesthetic merit, not the prestige of the brand that may be printed on themmany pieces remain tantalizingly anonymous, even as others boast the names of renowned fashion houses (Dior, Hermès, Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Balenciaga) and great artists (Picasso, Sonia Delaunay, Victor Vasarely, Enzo Mari). From geometric rhythms to psychedelic designs, from minimalism to the explosive colors of Pop Art and the optical games of kinetic art, Carré sweeps through many artistic trends from the post-war period to the 1980s. Showing the scarves both in full-page reproductions and in grids, the book gives us an up-close look at the textures and compositions of individual pieces, as well as allowing us to trace patterns, colors and trends across the collection.

Born in 1970, Benoit Pierre Emery is a French art director and scarf designer based in Paris. A graduate of the School of Decorative arts in Paris and the Royal College of Art in London, Emery began his career as a graphic designer in the luxury and cultural sectors. In 2003 he founded his own brand for scarves, and after designing one for Hermès began a long collaboration with the house, resulting in the creation of more than 30 scarves among other products. Beginning in 2006 he worked for 12 seasons as artistic director for scarves and stoles at Kenzo. In 2012 he was appointed creative director of tableware and objects at Hermès; today he continues to design his own scarves alongside his work for the house.