Hermes "Selle de Dignitaire" Orange Twill Silk 90 cm Scarf

No longer just a scarf, countless creative ideas of showing off these art pieces have been shared over the years, e.g. framed and hung as home decor, several ways of converting it into various fashionable tops and skirts, neckties, belts.

Since 1937, the silk scarves of French fashion house, Hermès, has become an iconic fashion accessory that is recognized all over the world. Hermès scarves and shawls have been collected and adorned by celebrities and royals throughout history, from Audrey Hepburn to Grace Kelly and even Queen Elizabeth II. Renowned artists are commissioned each year to create elaborate artworks with bright, vibrant color combinations. An individual scarf typically integrates 20 to 30 different hues, each printed from a unique silkscreen process that can take hundreds of hours to complete. Each one is painstakingly screen-printed, with each color allowed to dry before the next is applied. These art pieces have proved to be timeless collectable pieces of history.

Design History:  Hermes Selle de Dignitaire Scarf - Wlodek Kaminski’s design is inspired by a saddle in the Émile Hermès collection. The Sino-Mongolian original, from central Asia, dates from the later Qing period, circa 1832. The sumptuous piece was clearly created for a personality of some importance. Crafted in wood, leather and parchment, it also features silver, coral, amber, lapis lazuli and rock crystal. The saddle testifies to the exception artisan skill of its makers: the repoussé-work silver is engraved and encrusted with cabochon gems. Around a central ying/yang symbol, finely engraved dragons, serpents and fantastical beasts come face-to-face in the clouds. The saddle rug is composed of pieces of wool-cloth and silk velvet, decorated with embroidery, sequins and small metal studs. The stirrups show a Far Eastern influence, decorated with cloisonné enamelwork, and crowned with dragons’ heads.