Elephants have been our focus recently as we prepare for our upcoming WMODA exhibition and the arrival of the Great Elephant Migration in Miami Beach. However, we must not forget the other pachyderm in peril, the magnificent rhinoceros. It is estimated that poachers kill one rhino every day for its horn. In response to this crisis, the Ardmore Design Studio is supporting conservation efforts with a new silk scarf design featuring these Armoured Warriors.

A percentage of the sale of each limited-edition scarf will go to the Care for the Wild sanctuary in South Africa, which runs rescue, rehabilitation and rewilding programs for orphaned and injured rhinos. Traumatized calves who have lost their mothers are particularly vulnerable and need to be cared for rapidly, or they will die of dehydration, starvation, or predator attacks.

Fans of the Ardmore ceramics collection at WMODA may remember the story of Rupert, the baby black rhino who was saved during Operation Noah in Zimbabwe and was hand-reared by a wildlife vet. Rupert drank 32 pints of milk a day through a straw and romped around the garden with the vet’s children on his back before being released back to the wild. Rupert inspired some of the first Ardmore rhino riders, which were sculpted by Alex Sibanda and painted by Jabu Nene. Jabu’s gorgeous rhino designs were later celebrated in the Cole & Son wallpaper pattern with her name.

More recently, Ardmore artists Wiseman Mpofu and Victor Mtshali saw rhinos for the first time in their natural habitat during their residency at Singita Game Reserve in the Kruger National Park. Their remarkable rhino sculptures were based on their experiences watching anti-poaching scouts on patrol and were auctioned to raise money for conservation. Fée Halsted, Ardmore’s founder and creative director, was so moved by their powerful works of art that she created the Armoured Warriors scarf collection with vivid designs by her daughter Catherine Berning.

The rhinos' ornately patterned horns evoke traditional beadwork and basketry and are surrounded by floral motifs celebrating Africa's vibrancy. The color palette was inspired by the South African veld, with its golden grass, ochre earth and orange sunset. The silk scarves come in two sizes, 35 and 17 inches square. Only 100 silk scarves will be made in each colorway, and your purchase will help the Care for the Wild Sanctuary protect endangered species and preserve the biodiversity and ecosystems that allow them to thrive.