Mignonne Gavigan’s Beaded Shark Scarves
The New York designer’s penchant for the finned creature isn’t understated
You’ve probably spotted Mignonne Gavigan’s work under another moniker, as she was head footwear designer at Rachel Roy as well as the senior shoe designer for Loeffler Randall. But under her eponymous label, she’s able to pull out all the stops. Mignonne Gavigan scarf necklaces aren’t for the faint of heart—they stop traffic with their size, materials and bold colors, and further reward the careful observer with even more intricate detailing. “All our pieces are hand embroidered by expert craftsmen who have learned from generations of embroiderers—all being men,” Gavigan tells CH. “Our pieces are made in Mumbai by the same artisans who do the beading for Carolina Herrera, Oscar de la Renta, Balmain, Proenza Schouler to name a few. The work is evident in the pieces when seen in person: the intricacy, the amount of work and the time it takes to hand bead each piece is what sets our products apart from other ‘statement’ necklaces.”
Among the beaded fringe, Aztec patterns, raffia embroidery and tie-dyed silk chiffon featured in her recent spring/summer collections, our favorite is the shark design—which is actually one of the tamer ones of the bunch. Featuring sequined and hand-beaded sharks, the scarf necklace lets the wearer boldly broadcast their love for the sea creature beyond just one week in July (Discovery Channel’s Shark Week starts on 5 July).
Mignonne Gavigan accessories, including bracelets and earrings, are available from the online shop as well as Lyst; the shark designs retail for $625.
Images courtesy of Mignonne Gavigan
