Explore, discover and stay classy!
As a professional your job likely sees you travelling quite a lot, either out of necessity or intellectual curiosity. Wanting to pack light, you’ll need clothes that transcend cultures and nationalities – it’d be tedious having to bring a variety of different outfits to be appropriately dressed in each country. Luckily, the language of beautiful, exquisite and artistic style is spoken everywhere, and as such, a silk scarf has just become your new travelling companion.
Sisters Amy and Karine Brutijan were born in to an extremely creative family and were thus naturally drawn to art and design from an early age. Combining this with an interest in fashion and a belief that accessories must be attractive to the eye, the siblings created AMYKARINE scarves, a fantastic fusion of fine art and statement accessories.
‘When we create the prints we act like an artist; we first draw the image with a pencil, then fill it with colours, and the final scarf becomes a true wearable art.’
And that art is wearble all around the world; the magical blending of the huge range of cultures that inspire Amy and Karine ensure their designs can be appreciated universally. ‘Our scarves are inspired by classic literature, poetry, music and art, which are understood anywhere in the world. We are true cosmopolitan people’, the sisters tell us, ‘and we believe that true art, design and fashion can overcome national boundaries and unite people around the world.’
There are widely held stereotypes about the way people dress in particular countries. Paris has an elegant and feminine style, in the USA women are perhaps more open to brighter colours and prints, whilst in Germany and Austria solid block colours reign supreme. Nevertheless, professional women across the globe fundamentally appreciate the same things: high quality fabrics, perfect tailoring, clean silhouettes, and the ability of accessories to complete an outfit. So for those hectic weeks that start in London and end in New York, with a quick stop over in Paris in between, an AMYKARINE scarf is the perfect accessory to accompany you on your adventure. Women from Paris and Vienna to Shanghai and Delhi value a beautiful scarf.
‘Scarves are amazing in how many different ways of styling there are to experiment with.’ Amy and Karine strongly believe that a chic silk scarf can be not only a statement accessory, but a confidence booster to help your jet-setting career. They reveal that their favourite style is the classic wide triangle over the chest, that an elegant look can be achieved by tying the silk in to a bow, and that even tying it on to your bag will make a huge difference to your outfit. To ensure that your look works no matter what country you find yourself in, the most important thing is to make sure your scarf flatters you, rather than trying to fit in with a particular trend or style. ‘Choose the scarf that matches the colour of your hair, eyes and skin’, Amy and Karine advise.
We were particularly intrigued to know why Amy and Karine make exactly 77 of each printed scarf, and we were fascinated by the answer, as it seems that absolutely every element of the brand looks to speak to and unite all nationalities and cultures. ‘7 is a magic number – there are 7 colours of the rainbow, 7 notes on a musical scale, 7 seas and 7 continents. It’s the most significant number across religions and cultures, and as our ethos is to transcend cultures, we chose 7 as a lucky number for people across the globe.’
These sisters feel that travelling can be hugely revitalising and inspirational, but in order to make the most of your overseas voyages it’s important to be well equipped. Having travelled a lot, Amy and Karine have learnt to always wear a comfortable outfit for the journey, to take a cashmere shawl, and to have a moisturiser handy to keep your face looking fresh after a long haul flight. But their most important piece of advice? ‘If you have the opportunity, travel to a new place that you haven’t been to before, at least once a year.’
Start your journey on the right foot by setting off looking timelessly stylish in your silk scarf: www.amykarine.com
