Scarf Chic: It's Time to Tie One On

Based in East London, designers Sarah Swash and Toshio Yamanako convert their signature hand-drawn and painted artworks into whimsical digital prints. Their silk-mix scarves retain a Willy Wonka meets Alice in Wonderland quality. Their fall collection is inspired by a Regency fairytale, complete with grand manses and skeletal clocks. Comprising nine prints, the collection weaves a tale that is both delightfully weird and gothically charming.

Swash scarf, $665, net-a-porter.com.

The London-based designer and Central Saint Martins grad boasts an impressive resume, from winning a Gen Arts International Design Award for Eveningwear to having her scarves picked up by Colette Paris. Moving from graphic gowns to scarves was a no-brainer for Parris, who is now unveiling her second collection. Parris cites San Francisco-Victorian architecture as her main inspiration this season, even naming each scarf after one of the city's colorful streets.

Louisa Parris scarf, $285, louisaparris.com

Founded in 2006 by Berlin-based duo Anne Hilken and Christian Kurt, this indie label is already big in Japan and Scandinavia (Denmark's Henrik Vibskov stocks them). It can now be found stateside at discerning New York-based haunts like Creatures of Comfort, Jumelle and Maryam Nassir Zadeh. The designers profess a fascination with nature, evinced in the motifs of autumnal leaves, tree bark and plants that appear in their fall collection. Their conceptual designs are hand-printed and painted with a focus on eco-chic practices like local manufacturing and green materials.

Anntian scarves, prices upon request, anntian.de.

Born in Greece, raised in Switzerland, educated in Paris and trained in London, Athena Procopiou channels her pan-European background and love of arts and culture into her namesake label. Her luxe scarves are generously apportioned, providing a large canvas for her imaginative patterns. This season's designs feature Ziggy Stardust-inspired prints bursting with stars, prisms and trippy constellations.

Athena Procopiou scarf, $395, net-a-porter.com.

From an early start in textiles, metal work and product design, Ross Menuez has built a burgeoning downtown lifestyle brand that produces everything from apparel to furniture. His pieces de resistance, however, are his scarves, which feature geometric and abstract screen prints. For fall, inspired by the liner notes in album artwork, the collection features bright, high-energy graphics.

Salvor Projects scarf, $220, salvorprojects.com.