Hermes Sun towel ART DE VIVRE YACHTING YACHTING EPONGE
View Similar Items
Hermes Sun towel ART DE VIVRE YACHTING YACHTING EPONGE
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Width: 68.9 in (175 cm)Length: 70.87 in (180 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Miami, FL
- Reference Number:Seller: 5431stDibs: LU604608262
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.
- Pelush Teal Chinchilla Faux Fur Large Throw Pillow Set - Pillow Set PairBy Pelush - Luxury Faux FursLocated in Greenwich, CTThis pair of Pelush teal chinchilla faux fur large throw pillows are made with the highest quality man made pelage and is a beautiful replica of th...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Pillows and Throws
- 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 Quilting Indian Chintz Palampore And Taffeta Bedcover Circa 1720/1750Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1720/1750 Coromandel Coast India for the Palampore France Provence for the quilting A large quilted bedcover or hanging of an early printed indian Palampore...Category
Early 18th Century French Textiles and Quilts
- 19th century blue satin Chinese wall hanging or bedspread for Export EuropeLocated in Toulon, FRCirca 1860-1880 China for export to Europe Large Canton hanging or square bedspread in electric-blue silk satin embroidered with white silk cordonet, from China for the Compagnie de...Category
1860s Chinese Textiles and Quilts
- Vintage Hermès Pink Parrots Beach TowelBy HermèsLocated in Bilbao, ES1990's Vintage Hermès Beach Towel 100% cotton Fair Condition Measure: 150x90 cm or 59x35 inches Paris, Made In France Since 1984, when ...Category
1980s French Textiles and Quilts
- Cathy Latham, Tahiti Hermes ScarfBy HermèsLocated in Bilbao, ESHERMES Scarf Silk Scarf 100% Paris, Made In France Beautiful Caty Latham's Tahiti is a lovely Hermes silk scarf here in a pretty colorway and from either the original or early iss...Category
1970s French Textiles and Quilts
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.