Hermès silk scarf Pythagore
About the Item
- Designer:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Rubiera, IT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2828219219312
Hermès
For Hermès, what began as a maker of leather equestrian goods for European noblemen would eventually grow into one of the most storied fashion labels in the world. In 1837, German-born French entrepreneur Thierry Hermès opened a saddle and harness purveyor in Paris. Gradually, the house extended into accessories and luggage for its riders, and today, in paying homage to its origins, the family-run luxury brand resurfaces horse motifs in everything from clothing and modernist jewelry to pillows and handbags.
The first top-handled bag ever produced by Hermès was the Haut à courroies, which made its debut in 1892. A tall bag secured with a folded leather flap (fastened with bridle-inspired straps), it was designed to transport riding boots and a harness. As the world made the switch from horse to automobile, the bag adapted, becoming a multifunctional travel satchel instead of a designated saddlebag. Today, 120 years later, the HAC remains in Hermès’s line — and its distinctive flap and clasping straps have laid the groundwork for some of the house’s other iconic bags.
In the 1930s, Robert Dumas (son-in-law to Émile-Maurice Hermès, Thierry’s grandson) designed a smaller, trapezoidal take on the flap bag with a handle and two side straps. Later, actress Grace Kelly, then engaged to Prince Rainier of Monaco, is said to have used one of these bags to conceal her pregnancy during the 1950s. Because she was photographed constantly, the coverage catapulted her handbag to international popularity. In 1977, Hermès officially renamed the model for her, and the Kelly bag was born. Each Kelly bag takes between 18 and 25 hours to produce, and its 680 hand stitches owe solely to one Hermès artisan.
Robert Dumas was also responsible for another one of the brand’s most iconic offerings: the launch of its first silk scarf on the occasion of Hermès’s 100th anniversary in 1937. Based on a woodblock designed by Dumas and printed on Chinese silk, the accessory was an immediate hit.
Today, vintage Hermès scarves, typically adorned in rich colors and elaborate patterns, serve many functions, just as they did back then. Well-heeled women wear it on their heads, around their necks and, in a genius piece of cross-promotion, tied to the straps of their Hermès bags. Kelly even once used one as a sling for her broken arm.
In 1981, Robert Dumas’s son Jean-Louis Dumas, then Hermès chairman, found himself sitting next to French actress and musician Jane Birkin on a plane, where she was complaining about finding a suitable carryall for the necessary accoutrements of motherhood. After the two travelers were properly introduced, Birkin helped design Jean-Louis’s most famous contribution to the Hermès canon: the Birkin bag, a roomy, square catchall with the HAC’s trademark leather flap top and the addition of a lock and key. Owing to the brand’s legendary commitment to deft, handcrafted construction, the Birkin is an investment that is coveted by collectors everywhere.
While the Kelly and Birkin may be standouts, gracing the arms of everyone from royal heiresses to hip-hop stars in the past few decades, the handbags are but a small part of Hermès’s fashion offerings. Since the 1920s, the brand has produced some of the most desirable leather goods in the world. There’s the Constance bag, a favorite of Jacqueline Kennedy, the recently relaunched 1970s-era Evelyne and, on the vintage market, a slew of designs dating back to the 1920s.
Good design never goes out of style. Find a variety of vintage Hermès handbags, day dresses, shoes and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Rubiera, Italy
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Gucci Accornero silk scarfBy GucciLocated in Rubiera, REGucci silk scarf Designed by Vittorio Accornero - 70s Hand rolled hem cm. 88 x 88 approx. Excellent condition Floral theme with lilacs, roses, lilies of the valley and cyclamens that...Category
1670s Italian Scarves
- Hermès silk scarf "Légende Brodée"By HermèsLocated in Rubiera, REHermès silk scarf "Légende Brodée" Designed by Pierre Marie - spring/summer 2023 Hand rolled hem Tag care Copyright Measures approx. 36" x 36" Black, white, gold ... Condition NEW...Category
2010s French Scarves
- ATELIER VERSACE shawlBy Atelier VersaceLocated in Rubiera, REAtelier Versace Collection SS 1995 Shawl/pareo with ladybugs and butterflies 100% batiste cotton Made in Italy Signed Care tag Machine stitched hem cm. 132 x 132 Excellent conditionCategory
1990s Italian Scarves
- GUCCI Accornero silk scarfBy GucciLocated in Rubiera, REGucci silk scarf Designed by Vittorio Accornero 1^ edition 1974 Title: "Orchidee" Care tag Hand rolled hem cm. 87 x 86 Good condition The very simple composition (a row of orchids a...Category
1970s Italian Scarves
- Emilio Pucci silk scarfBy Emilio PucciLocated in Rubiera, REEmilio Pucci silk scarf Scarf from the 1957 Palio collection, dedicated to the contrade of Siena, on which an exhibition and a dedicated book w...Category
1950s Italian Scarves
- Hermès silk scarf "Tourbillons"By HermèsLocated in Rubiera, REHermès silk scarf "Tourbillons" (Swirls) Designed by Christiane Vauzelle, first issued in 1968 and reissued due to its popularity at least two other times, 1996 and 2004. This is fr...Category
Early 2000s French Scarves
- She Stands With Me, by Melanie Yazzie, scarf, wearable art, blue, white, femaleBy Melanie YazzieLocated in Santa Fe, NMShe Stands With Me, scarf, wearable art, blue, white, female, Native American poly crepe de chine. 2 layers that show the design on each side of the scarf Melanie A. Yazzie (Navajo-...Category
2010s American Scarves
- HERMES pale blue cashmere FRINGED SELLIER Shawl ScarfBy HermèsLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Hermès fringed cashmere (100%) shawl in pale light blue. Has been worn and is in excellent condition. Measurements Width 71cm (27.7in) L...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scarves
- HERMES silk HERMES FACTORY SUITE Twilly Scarf Bleu Rose MordoreBy HermèsLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Hermès Hermes Factory Suite twilly scarf in cream silk twill (100%) with details in green, yellow, tan and blue. Brand new with tag and b...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scarves
- HERMES multicolor silk OBJETS DE CURIOSITE 90 Twill Scarf Bleu Vert RoseBy HermèsLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Hermès Objets de Curiosite 90 scarf by Rosa Maria Unda Souki in mulitcolore silk twill (100%) with contrasting orange hem. Br...Category
2010s French Scarves
- HERMES silk HERMES FACTORY SUITE Twilly Scarf Bleu Rose MordoreBy HermèsLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Hermès Hermes Factory Suite twilly scarf in cream silk twill (100%) with details in green, yellow, tan and blue. Brand new with tag and b...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Scarves
- HERMES blue cashmere silk GRAND MANEGE A JOUETS 140 ScarfBy HermèsLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic HHermès 'Grand Manege à Jouets 140' shawl by Henri d'Oringy in off-white cashmere (65%) and silk (35%) with details in beige, pink and various shades of blue. Has been...Category
2010s French Scarves
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
The Hermès Passe-Guide Bag Might Not Be as Well Known as the Birkin or Kelly, But It’s Every Bit as Chic
Find out why this under-the-radar piece is so exceptional.
How to Spot a Fake Hermès Birkin Bag
The iconic Birkin bag is much coveted — and often copied. Find out how to tell the real deal from a convincing fake. Of course, you don't have to worry about this on 1stDibs, where every seller is highly vetted.