A Rare Look Inside the Atelier That Has Crafted Chanel’s Iconic Silk Scarves For Over Fifty Years

Last May, Keira Knightley, Sofia Coppola, Lupita Nyong'o, and members of the fashion set sat on the sun-drenched terrace at Villa d’Este in Lake Como, the guests of Chanel as it staged its Cruise 2025/2026 runway show in Italy. The site served as a fitting backdrop for the collection, which included the glamorous pieces you would be bound to find in the well-appointed luggage of a jet-setting woman on holiday in the resort destination: Pink swimsuits with coordinating coverups, breezy blue pant sets cinched with chain belts, tiered evening gowns, quilted 25 bags, and printed silk scarves. As I later learned, the scarves that appeared in the collection have a deeper connection to the locale as they are crafted by the Mantero silk manufacturer from the region—something I discovered when visiting Lake Como with Chanel alongside a group of global creative talents this October.

After landing at Malpensa airport, we made the picturesque drive from Milan to Lake Como and pulled through the entryway of the inimitable Villa d’Este. Upon arrival, we sat down for lakeside teatime on the veranda, in the exact location where the Cruise 2025/2026 collection had appeared just months before. It was an afternoon to soak in the exquisite destination and see the scarves from the runway up close. Each of the six scarves presented in the Chanel Cruise 2025/2026 collection is a special reissue from the Mantero archives, resurrecting iconic motifs originally designed by Karl Lagerfeld during his tenure as Creative Director for the fashion house.

Though the silk scarf is a timelessly classic piece, it has recently reemerged as a key accessory and cult buy in the fashion space—on the runways and street style set alike. For those after iconic scarf prints from past decades, Chanel is bringing back some of its most coveted prints for these special rereleases. “The reissued scarves from the ’80s and ’90s bring back all that vintage magic I love,” Sabrina Lan shares, “Classic logos, bold prints, and that fearless Chanel energy that never goes out of style.”

From woven chains to interlocking double-Cs to refined florals, the reissued scarves bring some of Chanel's most iconic prints back and are tied to some of the fashion house's most impactful moments from past decades. “I think of the early ’90s Chanel shows—that bold, Baroque energy with silk scarves tied all around,” says Vicky Montanari, reflecting on the archival Chanel moments where the scarves first appeared. “The prints were iconic with the same gold chains, colors, and attitude. I love how those looks still feel modern today.”

Teatime quickly evolved into a moment of dress-up with the scarves. From person to person, they were styled in inventive ways, whether folded into a timeless headscarf, draped around the shoulders, tied onto a bag, or fashioned as a belt. “I've been loving wearing my scarf classically tied around the neck or as a headscarf on the go,” Christie Tyler shares about how she styled the accessory. “I love letting the scarf do the talking with a look, so I like to pair the rest of the outfit down minimally and let the intricate patterns of the scarf do the talking for me.”

The beauty of the satin scarf is in its versatility, as well as how it reflects the style of the person wearing it. Draped at the neck, it taps into a sense of ‘80s Left Bank Parisian bourgeois style. Tied under the chin as a headscarf, it recalls the classic elegance of 1950s movie stars. “I love wearing the scarf on my head—it instantly elevates even the simplest outfit and makes it feel effortlessly chic,” Lan shares of her look. “There’s something timeless about it. It gives me that Old Hollywood star feeling while still feeling very me. It’s classic, but with a modern twist that fits my everyday style.”

The next day, we were given special access to Mantero, the specialty silk-maker established in Como in 1902, which has been collaborating with Chanel since 1973. As partners for over half a century, the collaborative history is as rich as the collection of archives housed at Mantero. As we stepped inside the doors of the atelier, we immersed ourselves in the extensive collection of vintage scarf designs and saw firsthand how they are handcrafted.

Today, run by the fourth generation of Manteros, it instantly became clear that the Chanel scarves are revered with passion, history, and a sense of savoir-faire in the atelier. "I was immediately struck by how proud everyone was who worked there, from the founder Riccardo Mantero’s great-great granddaughter Lucia, to the archivists, to the CEO and those working in production,” Moya Mawhinney shared. “You could tell how passionate they were about Mantero’s history and their roles, and that energy was contagious. It felt like all that pride and positivity were woven into their pieces.”

The extensive archives at the headquarters include a library of thousands of Chanel scarves that have been designed by the fashion house for over fifty years. As we walked into the archives, rows and rows showcased the meticulous catalog of scarves throughout the decades. “We had such a wonderful time being able to comb through all the Chanel archives and look at a tiny fraction of Mantero’s reference library,” Mawhinney shares. “I could have stayed in the archives for hours!”

During the Mantero tour, we learned about the process involved in creating the scarves—a traditional methodology demonstrating exceptional craftsmanship, which has been honed for over a century. “I had no understanding of how scarves were made before this visit,” shares Tan Suan. “After experiencing the entire process, I learned that the craftsmanship and savoir-faire involve several different techniques, and even the selection of colors for the prints is very complex.”

The process begins with sourcing silk from the best producers in China. Then, creative teams come in for design, which begins in the archives. A print specialist for over 123 year, Mantero has built up an incredible archive with over 200,000 items, including antique books, rare kimonos, printed fabrics, and more that serve as points of inspiration. After the designs are created and colors are selected, the scarves are then printed. “Silk is such an intricate, hard process—from harvesting the silk from the worm's cocoons to printing up to thirty colors on the factory line for a single scarf,” Tyler shares. "You realize that there is so much artistry behind every single product and design, from the colors chosen to the end design. Every detail is considered and worked to create the most beautiful product imaginable.”

After learning about the layered, multi-step process to create the scarves, the next leg of the tour involved an outfit change. We slipped into the Mantero uniforms—smart navy blue lab coats—as our group joined a workshop to screenprint the scarves firsthand. Screen by screen, layer by layer, and color by color, we saw the scarves come to life before us in the handcrafted process. “I saw the immense effort behind the birth of each piece. The scarf I was wearing suddenly felt weightier with meaning,” He Huixiang explained after visiting Mantero. “From silk production and design creation to printing stages—each complex step represents the dedication of the artisans and their palpable joy in working for Chanel.”