Collection FW2015: L'Arbre du vent

L’Arbre du vent is a tribute to the Huichol people of Mexico’s western Sierra Madre – also known as the Wixáritari – and their polytheistic religion, worshipping the divinity inherent in every aspect of the natural world.

At its centre, the scarf depicts the eye of god, the protector, surrounded by the four elements, marking the four corners of the Huichol world: 

1. Mother Water, the origin of life, Tatei Haramara; 

2. Earth, the soul of the world, Tatei Yurianaka, with two hummingbirds fluttering above, symbolising the souls of traditional shamans; 

3. Grandfather Fire, Tatehuari; and,

4. Air, Kieiri, the Wind Tree. 

Mexican artist Montserrat Gonzalez-Lugo has taken inspiration from traditional bead embroideries and threaded wool pictures to depict the essence of Huichol spirituality.

Collection FW2015: Lettres d'Erevan

In the year 405 AD, Mesrop Mashtots – learned monk and visionary – invented the Armenian alphabet. 

The first words he wrote were a quotation attributed to King Solomon: ‘To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding…’ 

This scarf is also a tribute to the vast library of Erevan, the Matenadaran, an extraordinary monument to the power of knowledge. Often compared to the great library of Alexandria, the collection enjoys UNESCO World Heritage status today. It includes some of Christianity’s finest and most ancient books and manuscripts.  

Designer Karen Petrossian has covered the surface of this scarf with illuminated letters from the Armenian alphabet, whose calligraphy and miniatures, drawn from the pages of manuscripts preserved at the famous library, are considered among the masterpieces of medieval art. 

For the second time, Hermès extends a silken bridge between two cultures, with a limited edition scarf supporting the cultural and humanitarian work of the SPFA (Solidarité Protestante France-Arménie).

Collection SS2015: Perspective Cavaliere

The cavalier perspective, or high viewpoint, first appeared in France in the 16th century, thanks to the ingenuity of military engineers. 

Cartographers used this type of projection for three centuries.  Its value lay in its ability to reproduce three-dimensional objects in two dimensions; and its particular characteristic is the lack of a vanishing point, so that parallel lines are preserved.  Hermes is doing a fabulous job transposing this design on cashmere and silk.

While not attempting to reproduce visual reality, the projection retains form, volume and relief. Its name comes from the military term ‘cavalier’, an earthwork promontory affording a view over and beyond a set of fortifications, enabling guards to anticipate an attack.  An alternative, more seductive etymology alludes to the higher perspective of the rider on his mount.  A perfect definition for this cavalier view, setting Hermès in perspective. 

FW2014: Cavalcadour Fleuri

Surprise !

One of the most stunning designs I have seen in a while - definitely making the ultra-rare "unforgettables" list - is this cashmere/silk shawl.  A fresh take on the classic Cavalcadour (one of the most popular designs the House has produced over time), this pattern is surely imprinted in our minds - and our hearts -, giving the person sporting it the assurance of wearing a stunning piece of art and feeling like the proverbial $1MM.

I chose to feature this design during the week of Christmas for looking at it - thanks to its fresh colours and sharp contrast, and to its amazing pattern - is like opening up a wonderfully wrapped gift, only to be mesmerized and enchanted by its content.

Have a safe Holiday season, enjoying every moment of it !

Collection FW2013: Fleurs et Papillons de Tissus

One of my favourite designs of the season, "Fleurs et Papillons de Tissus" ("Fabric Flowers and Butterflies") - so rich and sophisticated, and the colour combinations are truly wonderful.  Plus, given my preference for organic elements of design, this is certain to turn many heads.

An interesting note that this design has been issued both in silk (90cm) and cashmere/silk blend (140cm) in no less than 15 colour combinations.

Collection FW2013: Carré Cube

"Carré-cube" - a geometric design meant to draw you in and have you lost in a 3D maze of mystery and silk - or silk and cashmere, as is the case with the scarf above.

"Carré" in French means square, and the word stuck for the scarves which come in a square shape.  The name of this scarf is also a witty twist on geometry terms - squared and cubed being the measurements most often associated with surface areas and volume respectively.

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 !

Fêtes Vénitiennes

This is a reinterpretation of the "Venetian Feasts" composition on cashmere/silk. The colours are autumnal (in particular the border's aubergine, forest green and mustard orange), yet the twirling ribbons, the Venetian masks and the dressed-up characters depicted around the center instill a playfulness reminiscent of the nature's rebirth, a sentiment that only a select few designs achieve.

The focal point is a rendition of Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square), the administrative, social and cultural heart of Venice.

I have been fascinated by this scarf from the moment I discovered it in someone's very lovely treasure chest (she herself a uniquely lovely lady) and I continue to find it enchanting in all aspects.

Unlike pure silk, whose weaved fibers tend to render the finished product a little more rigid, the make-up of this fabric (65% cashmere, 35% silk) allows the scarf to lay graciously around the wearer's neck, shoulders or waist, instilling an enchanting elegance, different than the effect of pure silk yet equally distinguished. The texture itself adds an additional layer of depth to the design, the herringbone pattern of the weave becoming visible from close-up.

Collection FW2009: Kelly en Calèche

This scarf is a tribute to the revered Kelly bag - so named after the former American actress Grace Kelly who used one such bag to shield her pregnancy - with the future Princess Caroline - from the prying eyes of the paparazzi; although launched in the 1930's, it was this 1956 event, photographed and wildly publicized, that brought this timeless handbag into the light and granted the design its iconic status (Stephanie Henderson, in her book entitled "Handbags, What Every Woman Should Know" indicated that the newly married and shy Princess, when faced with a pack of noisy photographers and not yet willing to announce her pregnancy to the world, did what every woman would do - hide her secret in her handbag !).

The design cleverly depicts three of the iconic elements that the Maison has been associated with throughout the years - all part of its creations: the carriage (or calash), reminiscent of the Maison's fonding years and having become emblematic of its roots and part of the Maison's logo, the Kelly handbag and the locks meant to seal one's objects inside the handbag. Issued in 2007 to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Hermes carre, this design was released - symbolically - on a 70x70cm scarf. Its unimaginable popularity and success has been reflected in consequent reissues, as a twilly, cashmere and silk (depicted above) and, most recently (2010), in cotton.

This pattern is superb, many admirers choosing to frame the scarf so as to admire its splendour with every passing by (see below).

If you feel compelled to wear a piece of art, the scarf ties absolutely magnificently - pure magic !

Collection FW2008: Tohu Bohu

In French, "Tohu Bohu" means tumult, commotion, so "Hurly Burly" would be an appropriate translation. This scarf, first released in 2004 and reissued in 2008 and again in 2010 on cashmere/silk, features concentric circles, each of a different colour, starting in the middle of the scarf and increasing in size until the largest circle becomes inscribed within the scarf. Within the widths of select circles are inscribed, one per circle, the letters that make up "Hermes". Each of the corners depicts one element of the address of the Maison's Faubourg St.-Honore flagship boutique - "24", "Fbg", "Paris" and "France", each word having its letters in disorder (the other definition of "tohu bohu"). Finally, the very edge of the scarf features the many colours that have been already included in the design, in a sequence, similar to that of the Human DNA, that's harmoniously playful and adds the extra element of surprise and "fun" when the scarf is worn.

The design was created by Claudia Stuhlhofer Mayr, a very successful designer - and the only Austrian designer in the art team of Hermes for twelve years.

This pattern was an instant success with fans of Hermes, including the most renowned Italian singer of all times, the late Luciano Pavarotti (seen here wearing the orange GM version - "grand modele", or "large size-XL" - in cashmere/silk blend).

In response to such popularity, Hermes has further satisfied the public's thirst by adapting this design for jewelry and household items such as porcelain, themselves very popular items and sought-after collectibles.