Hermès Silk Tie
View Similar Items
Hermès Silk Tie
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.
- Piero Fornasetti Silk Tie Cravatta Piazza Con Obelisco Unique Made in ItalyBy Piero FornasettiLocated in Long Island, NYUnique Piero Fornasetti Silk Tie Cravatta . Piazza Con Obelisco . Milano Made In Italy .Category
Late 20th Century Italian Modern Quilts and Blankets
MaterialsSilk
- Log Cabin Tied QuiltLocated in Los Angeles, CAPennsylvania log cabin tied comforter quilt in wool. This quilt is in fantastic condition.Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Adirondack Quilts and Blankets
MaterialsCotton, Wool
$895 Sale Price40% Off - Pair Venetian Turkomen Tie BacksLocated in New York, NYPair Venetian Turkomen tie backs. Pair vintage bronze cast tie backs in venetian chinoiserie style. United States, late 19th century. Dimensions: 3.25” W x ...Category
Antique Late 19th Century American Chinoiserie Curtains and Valances
MaterialsBronze
$1,100 / set - Curtain Single Bronze Antique Tie-BackLocated in Alessandria, PiemonteO/6772-6 - Elegant antique bronze tie-back, perfect to support Your curtain or your belt or Your scarf in an elegant and functional way.Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Hat Racks and Stands
MaterialsBronze
$175 Sale Price20% Off - Curtain Single Antique Bronze Tie-BackLocated in Alessandria, PiemonteO/6780-1 - Elegant curtain tie-back, perfect to support Your curtain or belt or scarf in an elegant and functional way. There are also others in pair, published on 1stdibs.Category
Antique Late 19th Century French Louis XVI Curtains and Valances
MaterialsBronze
- Curtain Single Bronze Antique Tie-backLocated in Alessandria, PiemonteO/6772-5 - Antique beautiful elegant bronze tie-back, perfect to support Your curtain in an elegant and functional way - but also Your belt or Your scarf...Category
Antique Mid-19th Century French Louis XV Coat Racks and Stands
MaterialsBronze
$175 Sale Price20% Off
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.