Collection FW2010: Cheval de Légende

This design inevitably carries us back to our childhood and the wonderful world and heros' adventures we first heard from our parents, then read ourselves as our curiosity and thirst for discoveries made us come across the books ourselves.

"Cheval de légende" ("Legendary Horse") pays tribute to Pegasus, the horse brought to life by the Greek mythology.  The legend recounts how the Greek hero Perseus cut the Gorgon Medusa's head off, and from the spilling blood Pegasus, a beautiful white winged horse, sprang to life.  Ancient etymology links the name to water and springs: the so-called Hippocrene spring on Mount Helicon marked the spot where Pegasus struck a rock with his hoof.  Its waters were a source of poetic inspiration.

On Mount Olympus, the gods' home, Pegasus was entrusted with the sacred task of carrying Zeus's thunderbolts, until he was tamed by Bellerophon (with the help of Athena, the protectress of heroes, who presented him with a golden bridle).  Bellerophon, the hero charged with slaying the hybrid monster Chimaera by the Lykian king Iobates, slipped the bridle around Pegasus's neck while the horse was drinking, and climbed onto his back.  Thanks to Athena's intervention, Bellerophon was able to slay the Chimaera.  After Bellerophon's death, Pegasus rejoined the gods, and eventually became a constellation.

The reference to the constellation (named Pegasus) is wittily depicted in the design by way of the tiny dots, each sparkling with a magic light, that together depict the front part of a horse about to take off.  As with many other designs, the horse brings so much energy to the scarf and instills in it the admiration that such a noble animal commands.  The overall depiction is sadly lost when the scarf is tied - another testament to how this scarf manages to convey different feelings and moods, depending on how it's displayed.  The apparent "rope", also made up of little stars, adds the element of border (as with a painting) to the design, and renders the scarf more interesting when knotted.  Overall, a very contemporary design best admired for its non-traditional colours (the fuchsia and the green particularly stand out for their unusual hues).

It is also reminding me of the "pearls" design featured as part of the spring/summer collection - which I featured last week.

Meanwhile, so confident was Hermes in the success of this design, that it decided to expriment with it as the dial of the Arceau model.

Collection SS2010: Kelly en Perles

The fascination with this scarf stems from two classics of our times: Princess Grace Kelly, whose rafinement and indeed grace has inspired countless artists to dedicate their creations to her and even name such creations after her, and the timeless pearls, themselves a symbol of immaculate purity, of valuable possessions and most importantly of treasured objects whose beauty is meant only to enhance the beauty of the wearer. 

"Kelly en perles" (Kelly in pearls") is an exploration into the fantastic, a reinterpretation of classic aesthetic into contemporary tastes and standards.  The actual composition, suggestive of colourful glass beads in the style of artists from Cameroon, confers upon the scarf a very tangible sensation - thanks to Hermes' fine-tuned and impeccable techniques of rendering 3-D objects into 2-D spaces.  The focal point of this scarf is the timeless Kelly bag, itself formed by countless beads in a most realistic depiction.

The actual scarf is not necessarily at the top of my preference in terms of design (neither displayed fully, nor knotted), but it is most memorable for the pattern, reminiscent of the beaded coin purses so popular in the country side during my childhood in Eastern Europe, little treasures that continue to make me smile, even after so many years of having been burried in the back of my memory's "drawers".  So in this sense, I perceive this scarf as triggering utterly "happy" memories for me.

Collection FW2010: The Rhythm of China

Back in early January, I featured a design, called "Hermès en voyage", inspired by artist Ding Yi's work.  This fall/winter design "Rhythms of China" is a very close interpretation of the artist's creations (one in particular springs to mind, namely 2003's "Appearance of crosses - 12" for instance).  On closer inspection, the individual "pixels" are in fact delicate snow flake-like stars, forming a tight web of equal harmony and vibrant energy.  When knotted, the dynamism of the pattern becomes not only visible, but also much more impactful.  A very contemporary scarf suited for young stylish and mature sophisticated ladies alike.  

An interesting detail about this scarf: it was launched in China by the Maison several years ago, and featured in an exhibit organized in September 2007 in Shanghai at the Shanghai Art Museum to mark 70 years from the launch of the first scarf, and 10 years of the Maison catering to the Chinese clientèle through local boutiques.

Regardless of when this design was released, this scarf is thoroughly impressive !

Collection FW2010: La Charmante aux Animaux

This scarf draws its inspiration from the One Thousand and One Nights (known in English as the "Arabian Nights" from its first English language edition in 1706, which rendered the title as "The Arabian Nights' Entertainment").  In the centre of the scarf, seated next to the Persian King (Sultan), is none other than his beautiful new bride, Sheherazade, who mesmerizes him with story upon story (which she begins every night, but does not finish until the next night). 

"La charmante aux animaux" ("the Animal Charmer") picks on one such story, telling of the animals who roam freely on this earth.  As always with Annie Faivre, whose nickname is "little monkey", she chose to include the representation of a monkey in the detail of this scarf.

What I find interesting is that the design is very baroque in its richness, and the organic pattern that provides the background for the design; because of this, the scarf has a rather traditional feel to it (as opposed to lighter and asymmetrical motifs that would define it as more modern) and so I anticipate this scarf to be more appealing to a more matude crowd, despite the timeless theme.

Collection SS2008: Astrologie

This design has been among the most popular designs that Hermès has produced.  With this post I am taking a detour from our current collection so as to feature something spectacular and mesmerizing that's worth of at least one post.

Since its launch in 1963, "Astrologie" ("Astrology") has been reissued at least 17 times over the years.  Its success has been so tremendous, that many recognizable stars have opted to sport a scarf depicting the Astrology design on the cover of magazines and making newspaper headlines (see below Jackie Kennedy, before she became "Mrs. Onassis", as well as Oprah on the cover of her magazine).

Conceptually simple, the design is spectacularly embellished to regal standards of beauty and harmony.   

Collection SS2010: Chevaux Qataris

An artist long admired for his intimate knowledge and unique ability to depict horses, bulls and (hunting) dogs (and a personal favourite of mine as well), Hubert de Watrigant has enchanted me again with yet another design. “Les Chavaux Qataris” (“the Qatar Horses”) is a tribute to the majestic breed of the Arabian Horse, whose distinctive head shape and high tail carriage commend so much respect and love from horse lovers and connoisseurs alike.
What you come to recognize is the particular dynamism of this design, due to the depiction of the horses as running freely across the folds of the scarf.

The renditions in the corners make me think of Native Indian artifacts - which may or may not be the case, although I did recognize, in the patterns along the edges, typical Argentinian belt patterns.

Perhaps designed as such on purpose, the horses at the bottom of the design are facing inward, whereas those in the upper corners are facing out - so as perhaps to inspire the admirers to look for more horses than the two heads seen in the corners, when the scarf is tied.  I would have preferred to see all corner horses face outward, because the allure of their heads is so fantastic.  What I do appreciate is that horses are depicted as bear different colours, depending on the background hue - white and brown, in the case of the baby blue background below (which have been paired on the same side of the scarf surface - so that when the scarf is worn knotted, the front corners depict different coloured horses).  Wonderfully done !

One final aspect that contributes to the spectacular and elegant scarf: while the design has been launched first as part of the Fall/Winter collection 2008, this reissue is on the famous cashmere and silk mix.  Indeed, spectacular !

Collection FW2006: Séquences

I recently saw a report on Eadweard J. Muybridge, a pioneer photographer whose story is as fascinating as the invention that his name is most associated with - a technique he developed to capture animal locomotion, out of a popularly-debated question of the day back in 1872: whether all four of a horse's hooves left the ground at the same time during a gallop. 

In 1877, Muybridge settled the question with a single photographic negative showing Stanford's racehorse Occident airborne in the midst of a gallop.  This negative was lost, but it survives through woodcuts made at the time.  By 1878, Muybridge had successfully photographed a horse in fast motion.

This series of photos taken in Palo Alto, California, is called "Sallie Gardner at a Gallop" or "The Horse in Motion" and shows that the hooves do all leave the ground — although not with the legs fully extended forward and back, as contemporary illustrators tended to imagine, but rather at the moment when all the hooves are tucked under the horse as it switches from "pulling" with the front legs to "pushing" with the back legs.

This scarf design is not particularly beautiful, but memorable for the tribute it pays to a discovery of our modern age.  When knotted, the scarf appears quite traditional in both colours and pattern.  The white background, however, renders it a classic though.

Ex Libris Limited Edition for Liberty of London

This design is a visible departure from the usual creations of Hermes in that the "canvas" is no longer "clear"; instead, it features a rather heavily - albeit pastel and hence more mutedly so - floral pattern.  The Maison used one of its previous patterns (hugely successful, the "Ex Libris") to print it on the signature busy floral pattern of Liberty of London.

Launched under the banner of "Hermes pops up at Liberty", this scarf design, along with a similas one in fuchsia and pale green, proved highly popular and hence sought-after.

Collection FW2010: Cent Plis de Miao

I haven't felt so much enthusiasm admiring the Maison's designs for a while. Yet, like a fabulous find in a treasure chest - literally or figuratively - and I'm thinking here of a pair of shoes on a shelf in a tiny shop down one of those quiet streets in an upscale "quartier" (i.e. city district) – this scarf has filled my heart with excitement and joy and stimulated my imagination. So a tribute to it is very much in order.

Perhaps the design with the most promise of the Fall/Winter 2010 Collection – and one I particularly appreciate – "Cent Plis de Miao" ("A Hundred Pleats of Miao") pays tribute to the Miao culture and its nearly four million-strong people bound by it, living in China (the Miao people also live in Vietnam and Laos, where they’re called “Hmong”).

The dress depicted in this design is highly symbolic of the Miao culture and an essential element of it, whose name means “raw rice” – the dress is often mentioned in songs and folk tales, thereby becoming an integral and defining element of the culture. The fabrics are pleated, a technique believed to be inspired from (and reflective of) the mushroom gills. The finer the pleats, the higher the value of the dress.

Of particular interest is the creative craft of rendering the colours on the dress: the blue hues are obtained from a natural indigo pigment where the fabric, previously marked with wax to protect the areas (of the design) desired to appear white, is allowed to soak in the indigo dye. Once the desired hue is obtained, the fabric is remove, allowed to dry, then heated – both to remove the wax and finally to reveal the white patterns. The rest of the colours are embroidered by hand (a fantastic collection, consisting of similar dresses with no less than a thousand pleats is on display at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris).

The darling of the aficionados and one of the most prolific designers in the service of Hermès, Aline Honoré has delighted us yet again with a design inspired from far-away lands, equally fascinating and mysterious. She chose to depict the dress in all its splendour, spread across a surface suggestive of another type of fabric design that the Miao women choose to wear tied around their legs, whose patterns of squares and lines are also representative of their culture. Reminiscent of the Brazil design of the previous season’s collection in the dress display, the similarities between the two designs stop here. The background is simple so as to allow the dress to shine. A truly beautiful – artistic, creative, sensible display worth the glory the Hermes silk twill brings to it.

Le Carnaval de Venice

Today's post is the 100th on my blog, a landmark accomplishment worth being celebrated with a spectacular design that epitomizes the Celebration.  To mark this accomplishment, I couldn't think of a better design than the original "Le Carnaval de Venice" ("The Carnival of Venice") by Hubert de Watrigant. 

This design has withstood the test of time.  After so many years and countless fashion trends, this design continues to fascinate me thanks to its vibrant harmony and mysterious dynamics, the Venetian masks depicted in every corner as well as the participants, dressed in character costumes.  These elements, uniquely identifiable with Venice, are wittily depicted across the scarf elegantly and harmoniously.  Interestingly, this mosaic of pictorials

As your eye focuses on the pictorial placed in the center of the scarf - depicting an equally impactful and prominent St. Mark's bell tower overlooking Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), you notice the passers-by, themselves dressed in period costumes, admiring the symbol of the "Serenissima" Venice.

Perhaps more than anything, this is one of my all-time favourite designs, and what's a beautiful gift if I cannot share it with friends ?

Happy 100 posts, and may you savour many more posts whose subjects - the beautiful Hermès scarves - will continue to fascinate, mesmerize, and ultimately inspire you.

Collection FW2010: Très Kelly

This design caught my attention not so much for the actual theme as for the freshness of the design despite its reminiscence to "Bolduc", a scarf issued in 1983 and reissued many times since, in different sizes and on different materials, to great success.


"Très Kelly" ("Very Kelly") is a tribute to the iconic element of the Kelly bag, and of many other successful Hermes bags: the leather straps (they are paired, one from each side) that secures the bag shut.  Kelly is, of course, the name attributed to one bag model that the late Princess Grace Kelly carried.  She was pregnant at the time and when confronted by a group of paparazzi, decided to keep the pregnancy away from their peering eyes so she covered it with her bag.  This is the legend that saw the bag's baptized "Kelly" and gave birth to a cult around the world.  


Unlike the "Bolduc" (which featured the object that gave its name to the scarf design - the thin ribbon used to tie gift boxes), "Très Kelly" features one element, absent from previous designs, that heightens the interest in this design: the metal clasp of the two leather straps - an element that breaks the monotony of the design by adding variety along the lines of the straps themselves visually, both by way of a different pattern (albeit discreet) and of a different colour (in that sense alone, the apparent randomness of the individual clasps reminds me of the flight of countless insects - be it ants or bees).


When knotted, the scarf illustrates the pattern in much the same way as the Bolduc scarf does, except the element of fetish here - the leather strap and the metallic clasp - confer this scarf a stronger, more confident personality, traits that the person who wears it (uniquely suited for both men and women) is likely to share.

Collection FW2010: Quand Soudain

I am very excitedly welcoming the new Fall/Winter 2010 collection of Hermès scarves, just as the peony flowers have recently blossomed in Toronto.  

The focus of today's post is "Quand Soudain" ("when suddenly"), a set of four instantanés ("snapshots") from Paris, depicting the Montmartre hill (with its highly recognizable symbol, the Sacré Coeur cathedral, the House's iconic flagship store and head office at 24, rue du Faubourg St.-Honoré, a close-up of a horse's head, a depiction suggestive of the equally iconic horse atop the House's building, and finally a horse in apparent flight. 

What I find fascinating is the style of the story line, as told through images - reminiscent of the cartoons so beloved by children.  I grew up with several -old- issues of the Pif Vaillant and Arthur (le fantome) magazines (back in the days, Romania was under Communist regime, so those issues must have belonged to other generations from another era), French comic strips (bandes dessinees) with lovely characters such as dog called Pif, and a fantome (Arthur) and their adventures both at home at on foreign lands, during their travels.  The captions on this series of images, starting from the upper left hand corner and descending diagonally across, read - just like a comic strip text - "at the same time, in Paris, all was calme", followed by "when, suddenly" and "to be continued".

Although the approach of dividing up the overall scarf space into strips of different pictures is not new, this scarf is particularly charming because it contains so many references to Paris and to Hermès, which - themselves - trigger a certain fascination and instill in the admirers a desire to pack their bags and head to the Capital of Lights to enjoy its refinement.  One reason I recognize such an effect of this particular design lies in its depiction of photo-like images, rather than partial pictures of previously released designs (of course, the air of nostalgia triggered by looking at those images, drawings replicating the real world, just like a children's comic strip, only adds to the scarf's beauty).

Disappointingly, the scarf does not pay necessary tribute to its design when knotted.  The majesty is the design is simply lost, appearing simply as unidentifiable colour "stains", perhaps appropriately and skillfully achieved as a "vintage" scarf.

Collection SS2010: H comme Histoires

The concept behind this scarf has been the ubiquituous designs found on older, leather-bound story books, so rare yet so dear to children and parents alike.  Glacing over such sophisticated lettering carries my thought to the excitement that every child experiences upon seeing the parent, grandparent or otherwise the special person holding a story book, ready to enchant the little ones with the searches, voyages, free spirit, bravery and gentleness of heroes of times past.

My fascination with this design stems from the illusion of (time) traveling that this pattern induces - as my eyes glance over the entire scarf, from the lower half of the design (which is the focal point on the scarf) across its upper part, I perceive the design as one of those images associated with the sensation of gliding over territory from an airplane, or more appropriately a time capsule, at ever increasing speeds.  The horizontal lines, reminiscent of the lines across a musical partition, send the viewer on a journey to the right of the book cover, expecting the reader to uncover the pages and dive into the fascinating worlds hidden beneath.

The scarf ties surprisingly gracefully, with its pattern showing only discreet elements of its design.  Really wonderful !

Collection SS2010: Lilanga

Featuring a fantasy design, this scarf took its name from the Tanzanian artist George Lilanga whose claim to fame were the paintings realized in the same style, featuring local village folk attending to various activities in their daily lives, portrayed in humourously with large ears, elastic and contorsioned legs and otherwise simplified facial expressions.  These stylized figures and abstract splashes of colour alternate, to instill a movement uniquely captured by this design.  Lilanga is thought to have painted his characters to reflection the image that he retained from his own years in primary and secondary school, years marked by a vivid happiness. 

The story of this scarf is equally fascinating.  Hermes Art Director Pierre-Alexis Dumas felt inspired to transpose Lilanga's paintings on silk following the former's encounter with Jean Pigozzi, the famous contemporary African art collector whose collection includes artwork by Lilanga and who has taken an interest not only in the discovery and conservation of African art, but also in the making process. 

Of interest about this particular design is how balanced the entire scene appears, despite the busy patterns, given by both shapes and colours.  Ideal for those who could rely on a cartoon-like pattern to enhance their beauty and - more importantly - complement their personality.

Collection SS2010: Les Dix Cavaliers

An old legend tells the story of this horseman, riding endlessly across the vast world, never dismounting. Feeding only on the infinite spectacle of the thousand and one countries crossed, he meets nine other solitary horsemen in succession, arriving from every corner of the universe. Then, as if by magic, the ten riders get together and join up to form one single horseman, the carrier of all the legends. Brimming with all their knowledge, this rider continues to traverse the world, until the end of time. To illustrate this encounter, the design of the carre Les Dix Cavaliers has been divided into ten bands, each dedicated to one of the horsemen.

The pattern is reminiscent of the “Le monde est vaste” pattern of last year’s collection, in both concept and realization – with the original canvas “sliced up” and the stripes put back together in an apparent random fashion. Unlike the previous pattern, however, where the softer colours rendered the colour combinations harmonious, the horizontal stripes make this design appear fairly busy, thereby inducing a certain tension in the overall scarf. It definitely requires a strong personality to sport it, as the colours on their own – and the contrasting colour combinations are fairly strong.

Collection SS2010: Quintessence

I have originally dismissed this design as incoherent (or should I say “dissonant”?), and while I continue to stand by my impression, I found the theme intriguing enough to merit a critique.

The title of this scarf is “Quintessence”, a direct reference to the mystic concept of the fifth element that defines our universe (throughout the human history, various cultures identified the four elements that together made up the physical space in which we live as “air”, “earth”, “water” and “fire”. Given their critical and intimate roles in our lives, they were referred to as “essences”; hence, “quintessence” – from the Latin “quinta”, meaning “five”, and “essentia” – “essence”).

In the classic science fiction movie with the same name, the fifth element that bound us together was love; in the world depicted by Zoé Pauwels, it refers to a movement of fantasy and mystery, describing the Genesis through music played by angels (similar to a previous design, by the same artist, called "la danse du cosmos").

With many large-sized elements, the focal point of this score is the ornate treble clef (also known as the “Sol” clef, the name of “G” in the solfege, whose shape is probably derived from a cursive “S”), to the left, juxtaposed with the equally ornate bass cleff on the right (the word “solfege” ultimately derives from these two syllables, “sol” and “fa”). They set the tone for the overall theme and invite the spectator to tune in to the other elements of this creation.

As my gaze sought the rest of the carré, I found myself overseeing the white object depicted in the lower half of the centre, and up towards what appeared as celestial skies. On closer inspection, however, I recognized an hourglass whose passing of the sand from one receptacle and into the other, measuring the passing of time, is perhaps reflective of the rhythm of music and life. The celestial skies may also carry the admirer – as in a fantastic world – to our galaxy, as a reflection of the universe that music creates – its place, at the top, perhaps not random in suggesting that music is indeed uplifting.

In the lower corners of the scarf, music springs out of the necks of two violins, as if to indicate that the substance of the cases themselves evaporated into the ether (the fifth element) and what’s left is the music. The upper corners echo the lower ones with harps – the instruments of the gods – from which music continues to flow in an enchanting way. Each of these instruments – real or imaginary, as if in a fantasy – rest on stars that shine over all creations (remember, the light is the most powerful and recognizable symbol of the Divine). Perhaps the most impactful are the two celestial stars along the main “North – South” axis of the scarf, appearing to shine brighter than any other.

Potentially missed during the first “interpretations”, each of the two angels in the upper half of the scarf are resting on the Sun and the Moon, perhaps symbolic of the beginning and of the end. Finally, take note of the existence of the astrolabes, signifying the human poise to reach beyond the visible limits of our world, to discover and explain the universe.

The design is not necessarily harmonious, but is arguably maintaining an internal equilibrium, suggestive of a moment suspended in space when the motion of the stars may be observed and appreciated.

The final word is that Pauwels' style is distinct enough as this design reminded me of "La Musique des sphères", most recently released in 2007.

A la gloire de la cuisine française

Last night I had the great pleasure of meeting Mireille Guiliano, renowned author whose claim to fame came from her intimate involvement with Clicquot Inc., the owner of the Veuve Clicquot champagne (as the firm’s then-CEO, she is credited with resurrecting the brand, achieving double-digit sales growth year after year, and ultimately claiming 25% of the market of high-end champagne consumers). The context of my meeting her, however, had less to do with bubbly and more with her efforts to promote her new cookbook, entitled – stirringly – “The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook”. I must confess I didn’t know much about the person, and less so about the content of the book, but her charisma and her encouragement for healthy eating aroused my curiosity and interest, so I went to the book-signing event in Toronto last night. Marvelous person (“un phénomène”, as I’d say in French) !

Her secret – wholeheartedly healthy, I’d add – is to have smaller portions, a strict three-meals-a-day regimen and embrace wholeheartedly culinary diversity. In fact, she is quick to point out that attitudes, above behaviours, must changes: people (note that I don’t restrict the term to just “women”) should consider cooking an act of love, where the results are immediate (unlike a business activity, which may yield results over a much longer period of time).

Anyway, what best to describe the experience than by offering a luxurious glimpse into the French cuisine? “A la gloire de la cuisine française” (“to the glory of the French cuisine”) is an ode to the many creations that continue to fascinate gourmands and general folk alike (Mireille insists meals should not be gulped in 5 minutes, as the brain requires about 20 to process that the body is satiated and hence the quick meals turns into added calories – besides, where is the pleasure of having and indeed savouring the meal?).

This scarf, designed by Robert Dumas (related to the founding family of Thierry Hermes by association and the first non-descendent leader of the firm) was issued in 1942 and reissued in 1989, followed by a 2005 all-cotton (70cm) version. Despite some elements that reflect that era (such as the folds in the table cloth – the gourmet items are layed out onto a clothed table – , which, by now, would give an impression of “out of fashion”), the appeal of this scarf continues. Of particular interest to me is the “sparse” design; unlike many other scarves, this one features elements that support the theme laid out as if served – independently – at a dinner table … so participants enjoy the entire experience fully. If cooking is an act of love, should we not employ all our senses to savour the experience ?

Collection SS2010: Les Poneys de Polo

Typical Hubert de Watrigant, "Les Poneys de Polo" ("The Polo Ponies") uniquely captures the noble animals during both games and their time off. While the creativity is readily apparent, the originality of this "canvas" is not.  In fact, this design struck me for how much it resembles last year’s “Chevaux Qataris” (“horses of Quatar”) and 1987’s “Monde du Polo” (“World of Polo”, reissued in 1998).  The two previous designs’ “love child” ?  Perhaps…  Yet, it would have been much more refreshing to harvest the pony theme in a different … fashion.

Nevertheless, based on its own merit, this scarf is quite dynamic thanks to the ponies in motion (and to the jockeys in various positions).  More, the background lines, each of a different width and all horizontal as if parallel to the “ground”, further enhance the dynamism of the design.  Finally, the patterns all along the scarf edges - reflective of the Argentinian belts (in recognition of the small, muscular, wiry and agile ponies, typically Argentinian) - add a certain playfulness that enhances the free spirit of the players.

The colour combinations are quite contrasting, more of an exception rather than the rule when it comes to Hermes designs.  In this case, yellow, cream and dark brown, next to each other, bring forth a vibrant undertone (perhaps reflecting the palpable tension during the games).

Unlike many scarves, that are quite versatile in terms of being matched (or complimenting) diverse patterns, shines, colours and textures, I’d be inclined to pair this one with a monochromatic blouse, unless it’s worn as a more “discreet” accessory, such as in lieu of a belt, or as a bandana.  Undoubtedly a statement scarf !

Collection SS2010: Tours de Clés

This scarf is a reinterpretation of the the "Keys" design so successful, so popular and so beloved in the House's collection.  I consider the colour combinations unconventional in that they manage to be interesting without necessarily being top-of-mind when one thinks of combining some colours.  The circle motif, adopted as the background of this scarf, brings a certain energy into a pattern, yet another element that contributes to the contemporary effect of this design.

Collection SS2010: Sur les Rives du Léman

This scarf pays tribute to the remarkable Lake Geneva and, in particular, to the memorable times visitors and locals alike are inspired to have.  Lake Leman (the French name of Lake Geneva, whose shores are shared by Swiss and French) has been a symbol of high-life, of an oasis and of an unperturbed atmosphere whose waters are crystal-clear (as a testament to the care about the environment and the high standards of quality adopted by Swiss and French alike).

"Sur les rives du Leman" ("On the shores of Lake Leman") has been realized in the impressionist style, with silhouettes in lieu of picture-clear depictions of people - just as someone would remember after years following a particular event.  The sail, forming the focal point of the scarf, may also be suggestive of the "jet d'eau", the large fountain and one of the City of Geneva's most famous landmarks, that jets from within the lake high up, making it one of the tallest fountains in the world.

Just as my memory of 2005 of the main shopping street in Zurich on a lovely autumn Saturday, when folks dressed up with hats, furs and walking canes were enjoying the beautiful weather, the characters depicted in this design appear dressed elegantly for their "time out on the city", which adds further character to the "canvas" itself.

Finally, the scarf was issued in the "vintage-style" silk, in 70 cm x 70 cm.  The technique that renders the "picture" so lovely is unfortunately lost when the scarf is knotted, making it appear more like an ordinary scarf than anything extraordinary the Maison is known to have produced in the past.  Yet I perceive this design as a lovely exploration and experimentation.

Collection SS2010: La Légende du Poisson Corail

This design, entitled “La Légende du poisson corail” (“the legend of the coral”) is a tribute to the very fragile universe created by corals – veritable marine oases where countless species of fish and plants find shelter from the dangers of their mysterious universe – and fertile ground to flourish.


The design features a coral reef, encircled by a prominent ring, mirroring that of a coral atoll. The richness of the surrounding universe – and that within – is represented by the colourful impressionist brush strokes, suggestive of the shimmerings of the water. At the centre, the fish, adopting camouflaged costumes to merge with the surroundings, took refuge among the corals to escape predators. Bars, streaks, diamond-shapes … mimicry blends with fantasy to create a magic world. At each of the corners of the carré, stylized flying fish symbolize the harmony between the heavens and the world below the waves.


This design strikes me for its resemblance to "De Madras à Zakynthos", despite the two different artists. The design is quite effervescent, with most of the design colours quite vibrant and contrasting, so it takes an equally powerful personality to pull it off.

Collection SS2010: Pelages et Camouflage

This scarf is an ode to the infinite inventiveness of Nature, to its diversity, in all its splendour, and to the most visible gift endowed upon all creatures - their "habits". Pelages et Camouflage ("Coats and camouflage") is equally a tribute to the human nature’s creative drive to mirror the beauty of nature.

From her native Africa and her imaginary travels, Aline Honoré has brought back a mosaic of the sumptuous, the exuberant and the wild. This scarf is a patchwork mixing up these treasures of primitive prints, sewn together and embellished with necklaces of Massai pearls in between, from Senegal and from Ethiopia, a Peul wall-hanging, fabrics from Ghana, Zaire, Mali and craft embroidery. Among all these protective disguises, notice that of the imaginary animal, marked by H’s, taking cover among the rest.

A truly magnificent scarf that ties wonderfully as it displays with impact and class.

Collection SS2010: Brides Rebelles

Another design that I found appealing is the "Brides Rebelles" ("rebellious bridles"), depicting multiple pieces of the horse's harness in an apparent disorderly state. The appeal stems from the pattern's apparent harmony in spite of the "disorderly" hardware.  More, there's a certain tension surrounding this creation - tension given by the connotation of straps suggested by the envelopping leather bridles (with a strong fetish undertone).  Yet, the image is mysteriously balanced thanks to the loose ends that succeed in dissipating such potential tension.

The inspiration for this design came from a photograph of actual headstalls, manufactured by the House for the Polish Earl Zapotosky.  These very briddles were the subject of very fond correspondence between the 4th Hermes president, Robert Dumas, and the curators of the Royal Castle National Museum in Warsaw. 

The actual briddles had been laid on the ground and photographed, from which the actual drawing was realized.  Of note are the family crests on the hardware, discreetly and elegantly displayed.

The casual tone of this scarf, as well as its "non-conformist" colour combinations of the pattern, are equally appealing.  The ones featured here offer a good glipse (mustard yellow as the predominant background, above, and the taupe for the knotted one, below, are only two of the variety of colours that enchant the eye) into the youthfulness of the pattern.

A true ingenious design that attains harmony by depicting elements in no apparent order - one that is likely to become an instant hit with the collectors and admirers alike. Fantastic !

Collection SS2010: Les Dômes Célestes

One of my favourite designs is entitled "les domes celestes" ("the celestial domes"), whose patterns have an intrinsic harmony despite the apparent randomness of the forms depicted in it.

As I came to discover and appreciate, many microorganisms mirror large ones that can reach spectacular dimensions - such as a human hair, which, under a powerful microscope, reveals striking similarities to a tree trunk - so it is not surprising (rather I find it fascinating) that the individual elements of this design are suggestive of the shells of exotic marine creatures, despite the celestial suggestion of the title.

Yet, on closer inspection, this pattern reveals a mystery that even the initiated eye is in for a big surprise.  This scarf pays tribute to the architects, engineers and builders whose imagination, courage and perseverance in overcoming some of the highest technical difficulties produced legacies of utmost, arguably divine beauty.  The design depicts eighteen cupolas - ceilings of chapels and palaces from around the world.  The initiated eye can identify the dome of the Saint-Paul Saint-Louis church in Paris, the new synagogue of Szeged in Hungary, those of the great mosques of Cordoba and Constantinople, the church of Saints Peter and Paul in Krakow, and even the audacious triple dome of the sanctuary of Valinotto, near Turin.

This scarf ties wonderfully, with the pattern revealing wonderful asymmetrical shapes, which are further enhanced by the "threads" that enrich the design, suggestive of a festive setting where such "threads" are hung from the ceiling in an elaborate decor.

This colour combination in particular is quite impactful.

Collection SS2010: Fairytales

Expected with a great deal of anticipation and renewed hope, the Spring/Summer ("SS") 2010 collection was received with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the new designs stirred the admirers and collectors of the Maison's silk creations alike; on the other, many felt the scarf designs have fallen short of the "timelessness" test.  Instead, the followers' opinions, shared by me as well, echoed a single strong sentiment: that with few exceptions, based primarily on colour combinations rather than the patterns themselves, the individual creations were reminiscent of previously released designs, and meant to appeal to tastes beyond those of the loyal Maison followers. Is the Maison attempting to appeal to a younger generation ? Or should we celebrate instead the endless creativity that Hermes is recognized for, even when such attempts may not elicit the anticipated reactions ?

Today's post features the scarf pattern that imposed its theme - and title - to the entire collection: "Fairytales". The design, suggestive of a children's drawing, brings together the many characters that filled countless children's (and parents') evenings while fueling their imagination.  Some may argue that the characters depicted in this design are the ones that became children's intimate friends and have remained loyal to them throughout their lives.  Fascinatingly enough, these tales set strong examples in every child's mind, thereby instilling the society's and parents' values from an early age, and in this respect, preparing the audience for life in an engaging, yet psychologically safe, journey of discovery.

I find the pattern very busy, and while the pastel colours are soothing, I find the scarf's appeal is diluted by the heavy and convoluted design.  I would even go as far as saying that the "drawings" in their entirety are somewhat aggressive, bringing a certain tension to the overall design, in stark contrast to what I'd expect to see in children's books.  It would definitely fit the "fantasy" pattern, where the elements coexist all at the same time without necessarily being linked by either time or activities... fantasy perhaps reflective (and defining) of the entire collection.  Yet I don't anticipate this design to be one of the many sought-after ones that their beauty and appeal have turned them into desired collectibles.