Hermès Wool "Robe Tunique" with Leather and Tassel Detail
View Similar Items
Hermès Wool "Robe Tunique" with Leather and Tassel Detail
About the Item
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.
- Yves Saint Laurent Russian Collection Corduroy CoatBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in New York, NYYves Saint Laurent, Rive Gauche, rust tone, corduroy, Russian Collection, Cossack style coat, having a slightly fitted semi dropped waist bodice, and...Category
1970s French Coats
- Chado Ralph Rucci Couture Belted Silk JacketBy Chado Ralph RucciLocated in New York, NYChado Ralph Rucci Couture, black silk faille, belted jacket, having Rucci signature, hand top stitching detail, and knotted silk button closures. Jacket is belted in the front leavin...Category
Early 2000s American Trench Coats
Sold$1,095 - Chado Ralph Rucci Bronze Tone Belted CoatBy Chado Ralph RucciLocated in New York, NYChado Ralph Rucci, taffeta faille, bronze tone, belted coat, having a small lapel collar, hidden button closures, (buttons are tortoise) a double vent at the back, slash pockets, and...Category
Early 2000s American Trench Coats
- Hermès Classic TrenchBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermès, blue tone, iridescent, cotton and silk, classic, double breasted, belted, short trench having generous, notched lapels, and slash pockets. Fabric content: 29% silk and 71% co...Category
Early 2000s French Trench Coats
$1,695 - Tom Ford for Gucci Runway Gold Coat with Leather DetailBy Tom Ford for GucciLocated in New York, NYTom Ford for Gucci, fitted, gold ottoman, coat having gold leather details. Leather details include a pointed collar, edging along the hem, front and cuff...Category
Early 2000s Italian Coats and Outerwear
- Yves Saint Laurent Wool Coat with Plaid InteriorBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive GaucheLocated in New York, NYYves Saint Laurent, Rive Gauche, black, wool coat, having a black and white paid lining. Coat has a small pointed collar with a single closure at the neck; a simple straight line sil...Category
1970s French Coats
- S/2016 look # 2 NEW VERSACE RED SEMI LINE 100% SILK BLAZER 50 - 40By VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXVERSACE Spring/Summer 2016 look # 2 Red silk blazer from Versace A graphic print and a two gold-tone Medusa front button fastening. Three front...Category
2010s Italian Coats and Outerwear
$2,246 Sale Price25% Off - Verheyen London Edward Leather Coat with Faux Fur Collar in Red - Size uk 12By Verheyen LondonLocated in London, GBVerheyen London Edward Leather Coat with Faux Fur Collar in Red - Size uk 12 The Edward Leather Coat created by Verheyen London is a romantic design inspired by the 1970s and Edward...Category
2010s British Coats
$1,148 Sale Price22% Off - GUCCI red leather BIKER MOTORCYCLE Jacket 42 MBy Tom Ford for Gucci, GucciLocated in Zürich, CHGucci biker jacket in dark red lamb leather with four front zipper pockets, side decorative belts and zipped cuffs. Closes on the front with a zippe...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Trench Coats
- 1980s Fuchsia Swing CoatLocated in Alford, MADouble-faced fuchsia wool swing coat with deep shawl collar, single breasted with low patch pocket and turn-back cuffs. Welted seams. Unlabeled. Size M.Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Coats and Outerwear
- Verheyen London Edward Leather Coat with Faux Fur Collar in Red - Size uk 16By Verheyen LondonLocated in London, GBVerheyen London Edward Leather Coat with Faux Fur Collar in Red - Size uk 16 The Edward Leather Coat created by Verheyen London is a romantic design inspired by the 1970s and Edward...Category
2010s British Coats
$1,616 Sale Price20% Off - Guy Laroche Vintage Orange Cashmere Blend Double Breasted Trench Coat With BeltBy Guy LarocheLocated in Portland, ORThis is a gorgeous orange wool cashmere blend vintage 1980's Guy Laroche double breasted trench coat with round gold buttons. There are two functional front pockets and shoulder pads...Category
1980s Spanish Trench Coats
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.