Hermes Chemins de Corail 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:
Inspired by an engraving conserved at the Château de Malmaison, this scarf by Philippe Ledoux, one of Hermès’ legendary designers, features in its centre the phaeton belonging to Napoleon I’s son. This horse-drawn carriage takes its name from the son of Helios, personification of the sun in Greek mythology. The story goes that Phaeton borrowed but lost control of his father’s sun chariot, almost setting the earth on fire, and paid for this with his life. The gorgeous little carriage was decked out with all the adornments of the Empire, and was pulled by two merino sheep, trained by the famous circus manager Franconi. Built in 1812 by the carriage-maker Tremblay, it is preserved at the castle of Schönbrunn, in Vienna, where the Emperor’s son lived for most of his short life.