You may remember that one golden time when I was inconceivably bestowed with three mint condition, 100 % silk, vintage Hermes scarves all in one go… and how the following week I realised that another scarf that I had just found at a thrift shop in Knysna and had been good naturedly calling ‘the wannabe Hermes scarf’ also (Lord help us) turned out to be genuine Hermes.
Well, I still can’t believe it, and I routinely caress them with reverent fingertips as I sway on by. My nod to good vintage karma (and to my ailing bank balance) was to part with the final one, which I sold to a friend’s amazingly thoughtful husband as a surprise gift for her (yes, we all need one of those… ‘SURPRISE! It’s vintage Hermes…’)
Since then, I routinely find myself going into a kind of trance as I browse through the thousands of silky, patterned varieties that have helped make the scarves iconic over time. For something that is symbol of the ultimate luxury, good taste and timelessness, some of them certainly are quite irreverent. My favourite is the classic ‘de Passementerie’ – the scarves featuring legions of regal, overly embellished tassels.
[PS - This book, Le Carré Hermes, a catalogue and commemoration of the classic silken square is officially on my birthday wishlist]
Hi, you and I both !
I also own this
http://pessimiss.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/book-carre-hermes.jpg
but in a different color scheme (white background, pale green edge, the central lettering in shades of très Hermès yellow-brown). Found it a long time ago (15 years ago?) in a vintage shop on rue Caulaincourt in Paris.
Would you happen to know the name and the year of the design?
My oldest Hermès is a 1949 one, this one, also in another color scheme (off white, darkish dusty pink, black):
http://www.hermesscarf.com/piwigo/picture.php?/27/category/Home
And of course I love your site.
They’re both unbelievable! I don’t know the name or the year, but I’m guessing the Carre book would be a good start. Imagine a huge vintage Hermes scarf symposium, where collectors could swap and share? It would be amazing. x
Found it! It is called “Alphabet 3″, 1991.
http://www.hermesscarf.com/piwigo/picture.php?/3596/category/206
It’s so beautiful – I also love the gold and monotone versions! Lucky fish