The First Condé Nast Traveller Feature
In May 2020, Ilona Tambor illustrated silk scarves appeared in the June issue of Condé Nast Traveller, as part of the magazine’s Luxury Gift Guide.
It was the first Ilona Tambor appearance in the magazine and an important early moment for the brand — seeing the scarves presented within a publication known for travel, design and visual storytelling.
The campaign also appeared within Condé Nast Traveller’s digital On The Move content, placing the scarves among a wider selection of fashion accessories and gifts connected with travel.
The Luxury Gift Guide
The June 2020 issue brought together travel, independent design and objects chosen for their individuality.
For Ilona Tambor, being included in the Luxury Gift Guide introduced the illustrated scarves to a wider audience at a very early stage in the development of the collection.
Each scarf began, as it still does today, with an original hand-drawn illustration. The drawing was then translated onto silk, turning something created on paper into an accessory designed to move, fold and be worn.
Illustration Beyond the Page
What makes a scarf interesting to me is the way an illustration changes once it leaves the page.
Folded around the neck, tied over the hair or opened across the shoulders, different fragments of the drawing become visible. A border may suddenly become the focus; an animal or flower may disappear into a fold; colour changes as the silk moves.
That relationship between drawing and movement has remained at the centre of Ilona Tambor ever since.
The Beginning of a Summer of Features
The June 2020 appearance became the beginning of a longer relationship with Condé Nast Traveller during that summer.
Ilona Tambor scarves appeared again in the July/August issue and later in the September 2020 issue, creating a series of early editorial moments for the brand.
Looking back, the June feature remains particularly significant because it marked the first time the illustrated silk scarves appeared within the pages of the magazine.
An Early Chapter of Ilona Tambor
The collection has evolved considerably since 2020, but the starting point has remained unchanged: every design begins with drawing.
Today, that illustrated world extends across silk scarves, wool, cotton-silk and cashmere, with each fabric creating a different relationship between colour, line and movement.
The Condé Nast Traveller feature is therefore more than a piece of press history. It captures an early moment in the development of the brand and the beginning of a story that continues today.
An early chapter in the story of illustration made wearable.
Each piece begins with a line.
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