A touch of style, a pop of colour and the perfect finishing touch
Unique Hand-Sewn Silk Pocket Squares Made in England
Paisleys
What we know as paisley, the distinctive teardrop shape with a curved end, has ancient roots and has long been associated with men’s pocket squares.
The paisley motif is used globally and has many names the world over. It originated in ancient Persia where it was called the ‘boteh’, meaning bush, cluster of leaves or flower buds, and was associated with life and eternity. The use of the ‘boteh’ spread throughout Asia. Popularity in the Western world, starting in the 18th and 19th centuries, followed its import from India. The ‘boteh’ motif became much copied but the first place where it was reproduced in Europe was in the leading textiles town of Paisley, located in the west of Scotland.
Over the years, the paisley motif has remained popular with periodic peaks of high interest. The fascination with eastern cultures that accompanied the psychedelic era of the mid to late 1960s brought paisley to the fore again. In Britain and other English speaking countries, paisley has been associated throughout with men’s accessories, including pocket squares.
At Otway & Orford we continue the tradition of men’s paisley pocket squares in our ‘Fresh Classics’ silk pocket square collection and the motif has been used in various ways across the designs but we always try to create something unique. ‘Kaleidoscope’ is the fullest expression of the motif amongst our paisley pocket squares with ‘Labyrinth’ and ‘Millefiori’ incorporating it with other design elements. Paisley is a popular choice of pattern for a silk pocket square on any occasion and we offer our luxury paisley pocket squares in a range of gorgeous colours to be able to complement pretty much every suit and jacket. Take a look at our paisley pocket square designs using the motif to beautiful and distinctive effect.