Hermès NIB Giraffes Fuchsia Beach Towel
About the Item
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Width: 37 in (93.98 cm)Length: 60 in (152.4 cm)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:
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: Faenza, Italy
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- New Hermes Terry Cloth Square Bath Towel in BoxBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermes square terry cloth bathroom rug with brides pattern. Brand new in original box.Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Textiles and Quilts
- Hermès Burgundy Embroidered King BlanketBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès collectible burgundy king size blanket with embroidered leaves and flowers. Wool, cashmere, angora and suede trim. 70% wool, 15% cashmere, 15% angora. Mint condition.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Textiles and Quilts
- Hermès Purple Cashmere Fringe BlanketBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès purple cashmere blanket with fringes and embossed logo. 100% cashmere, finest quality. Comes without box.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Textiles and Quilts
- Hermès New Rust Cotton Beach TowelBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès new rust cotton beach towel with fringes. Ne win unused condition. Comes without box.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Belgian Textiles and Quilts
- Hermès NIB Yellow Black Fish Beach TowelBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès Fish Beach Towel. The pattern features several fish in different colors. The piece is new and comes in the original box.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Textiles and Quilts
- Hermès New Guepards Beach TowelBy HermèsLocated in West Hollywood, CAHermès guepards Beach Towel in white and black. The pattern shows two yellow leopards facing each other. The item is in new and comes with the box.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Textiles and Quilts
- Indian Tent Or Long Embroidered Satin Valance in Mughal Style- 19th centuryLocated in Toulon, FR19th century India for the internal market Amazing pelmet or panel of tent or Indian palace dating from the nineteenth century. Very fine embroidery with polychrome floche silk threa...Category
Mid-19th Century Indian Textiles and Quilts
- Indian Cashmere Kani Squared Shawl Circa 1840Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1840 India for export to the West Beautiful Indian cashmere shawl woven Kani called Rumal. Very fine weaving espoliné by crocheting wefts, close to the tapestry point. Large ...Category
1840s Indian Textiles and Quilts
- A Pair of Velvet Yastik Bursa Panels - Ottoman Empire Circa 1900Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1900/1920 Ottoman Empire A pair of Yastik or chest tops in crimson red cut Bush velvet on a grey background, Ottoman Empire, early 20th century. Linen and silk background with...Category
Early 20th Century Turkish Pillows and Throws
- Gucci Scarf signed by Vittorio Accornero 1960´s-1970´sBy Vittorio Accornero, GucciLocated in Bilbao, ESItalian illustrator Vittorio Accornero designed some iconic scarves for Gucci in the late 60s and 70s, and the label’s throwing back to those designs in its latest collection. The us...Category
1960s Italian Scarves
- A Chintz block printed quilted Cotton Toile or Quilt - Alsace Circa 1810Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1800-1820 Alsace or Swiss Manufacture Rare Quilted polychrome Indian bedspread dating from the early 19th century. Large naturalistic decorati...Category
Early 1800s French Textiles and Quilts
- A fine & Early Silk & wool Paisley Shawl -Europe Circa 1820/1850Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1820/1850 Russia (?) or Europe Rare long paisley shawl in silk woven on Jacquard looms of an extreme fineness of weaving . Large central reserve added on original in cream sil...Category
Mid-19th Century French Shawls
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.