The earliest known use of the Three Hares dates back to 6th Century China, when the motif was used to decorate the ceilings of over a dozen rooms within the Mogao Caves, a massive and richly decorated Buddhist temple consisting of hundreds of rooms carved directly into a stone cliffside. By the time the hares were painted, the Mogao Caves had already become a busy desert crossroads along the caravan routes of the Silk Road, and the Three Hares traveled West on textiles and ceramics through the Middle East, across Europe, and finally across the English Channel into the United Kingdom. We see the three hares in art from Buddhist, Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions. The image itself remained unchanged in this great journey, but as each religion and region adopted the motif, they assigned their own symbolism and significance to the Hares. To me, the symbol of the Three Hares represents the possibility of symbiotic exchange and mutual appreciation among cultures.

Apples tell a similar story of mutually beneficial trade and cultural syncretism. All varieties of modern cultivated apples are descended from Malus sieversii, a species of wild apple native to both sides of the Tian Shan mountain range. As traders and travelers along the Silk Road routes ate these apples while they traveled, they planted or discarded the seeds as they went. These trees were intentionally and accidentally cross-pollinated with the species native to each area, and the resulting fruits were spread in both directions along trade routes, eventually leading to the 7,500 species of domestic apples that we enjoy today.

Art and commerce are the connective tissue that bind humans together across the world, providing a necessary mechanism for cross-cultural understanding and a basis for peaceful relations. My hope is that this scarf serves as a witness to the long history of communication, shared ideals, and trade among disparate regions, and as a reminder of the benefits of cultural exchange and mutual respect among different religions and cultures, both across and within national boundaries.

This scarf was illustrated in full by guest artist Arlo Teague, a Bay Area tattoo artist and illustrator. Arlo has written at length about their thoughts on this project in a blog post accompanied by a selection of their sketches, which I encourage you all to read. This is Arlo's second scarf for me -- they also illustrated the Puzzle Horse silk scarf, which pays homage to a 15th Century Iranian design of interlocking horses. 

This medium-sized silk satin neckerchief looks fabulous loosely draped or knotted chicly at the throat, worn in the hair, tied to a purse strap, or styled in whatever other way you can dream up. The silk is mirror-printed on both sides of the fabric, so the illustration is perfectly vibrant from all angles, regardless of how you choose to tie it. 

• Constructed from 100% silk charmeuse satin
  
• Measures 65cm x 65cm
• Double-sided digital printing
• Finished with a hand-sewn rolled hem
• Packaged in a branded burgundy gift box

To care for your scarf, dry cleaning or gentle hand washing with a silk-safe detergent is recommended.