Hermès
Hermès scarf (1937)Founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès (1801-1878) in Paris, the Hermès Fashion House is specialized in leather goods, lifestyle accessories, perfumery, luxury goods, and ready-to-wear. Thierry Hermes started his business by handcrafting horse harnesses for caliches and carriages, and was renowned for crafting an indestructible saddle stitch. In 1879 Hermèz included the manufacturing of saddles and in 1937 they introduced their first scarves (or ‘carrés’).
Hermès’ first scarf was called Jeu des Omnibus et Dames Blanches. It had a print of females playing a game and a circle of horses and carriages around them. Introduced in 1957, their most iconic scarf, the ‘Brides De Gala’ (as pictured above), has been produced over 70,000 times. Contemporary Hermès scarves measure 90 cm × 90 cm, weigh 65 grams and have hand-stitched hems. Scarf motifs are wide-ranging, but the horse motif is particularly famous and popular. The scarves have been worn by several celebrities such as Queen Elizabeth, Princess Grace Kelly, Princess Grace (as a sling for her broken arm) and actress Sharon Stone, who used it in a bondage scene in the film Basic Instinct.
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