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Got silk? We unravel the history behind the Hermès scarf
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Got silk? We unravel the history behind the Hermès scarf

Karen Ashbee travels to Paris for a history lesson on the Hermès carré.

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Tied, twisted, looped, folded, rolled, rumpled—an Hermès scarf lends itself to endless transformations and yet somehow, it manages to always look the same: très elegant. With more than 1,500 versions to flirt with, these magical, hand-painted silk squares are just as beguiling today as when they first sprung to life in 1937. Their trademarks, which include 90-centimetre sides, specially treated silk twills and hand-rolled borders, were established early on. Over the years, some have been reinterpreted and reinvented to appeal to a younger demographic, notably a playful, pleated style (the Plissé) in 1980 and a long solid-coloured version in 2001 by designer Martin Margiela, who was then the artistic director of women’s ready-to-wear. Recent collaborations (dreamt up by Bali Barret, the current artistic director of the Hermès Feminine Universe) with Liberty of London and Parisian boutique Colette, new fabric mash-ups (jersey meet silk), unique silkscreen printing techniques, such as dip-dyeing, and globe-trotting carré pop-up shops continue to modernize this heritage luxury brand. “[The scarves] have a life of their own,” says Jennifer Carter, president of Hermès Canada. “When they are passed through the generations, it is very personal.” How do you say icon, en français?

Examining Noel au 24 Faubourg scarves
Hermès
Hermès: Limited-Edition Liberty of London Collection
Hermès: A 1957 brides de gala print scarf
Bali Barret with Pierre Alexis Dumas, Creative Director of Hermès
J’aime Mon Carré pop-up shop in Toronto, 2010
Faubourg by Night Scarf Production
Sketching the Vif Argent scarf design
Paint colours at the atelier
Examining Noel au 24 Faubourg scarves
Hermès
Hermès: Limited-Edition Liberty of London Collection
Hermès: A 1957 brides de gala print scarf

Hermès: Limited-Edition Liberty of London Collection

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Hermès: Limited-Edition Liberty of London Collection

Hermès: Limited-Edition Liberty of London Collection
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