90cm Silk

"Carre" literally translates to "square".  The classic scarf size, the carre measures approximately 90cm (or 35") square. Traditionally, the Hermes carre is 65 grams of silk twill, but over the years Hermes has created vintage and wash silks which have a softer texture and lighter weight.

Looking at my collection, you can see how much I love detailed designs and animals, bright colors, and all sorts of pink. There are a few artists who are a tad over-represented in my scarf drawer - Alice Shirley, Jan Bajtlik and Dimitri Rybaltchenko, I'm looking at you! - but Hermes really creates such magic on silk it's hard to stick to one 'thing'. 

(If you see AMIM - that stands for "Ask Me, I Might"  - I might be willing to part with a silk beauty. Drop me a note if you're interested, and check out that which I've already decided to re-home.) 
Picture of Hermes Scarf Colliers et Chiens by Virginie Jamin, in yellow and taupe
Colliers et Chiens, Virginie Jamin 2021
Picture of pink Hermes silk scarf, Woof Woof, a version of La Source de Pegase by Pierre Marie
Woof Woof (La Source de Pegase), Pierre Marie, 2021
Picture of Wild Singapore, a 2020 Alice Shirley designed 90cm silk Hermes scarf. Red and purple, featuring a lion made of fig trees
Wild Singapore, Alice Shirley, 2020
Picture of a 90cm Hermes silk scarf, 3 Graces by Alice Shirley. Pink giraffes nibbling yellow leaves on a black background
The Three Graces, Alice Shirley, 2020
Picture of Exposition Universelle, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf designed by Jan Bajtlik from Poland
Exposition Universelle, Jan Bajtlik, 2020
Picture of Hermes Silk Scarf 90cm Animapolis by Jan Bajtlik
Animapolis, Jan Bajtlik, 2019
Picture of Hermes Silk Scarf Animapolis by Jan Bajtlik
Animapolis, Jan Bajtlik, 2019
Picture of Mountain Zebra, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf by Alice Shirley. Turquoise and pink colorway
Mountain Zebra, Alice Shirley, 2019
Picture of a 90cm Hermes silk scarf, Into The Canadian Wild by Alice Shirley. Dark blue hem, peachy pink northern lights
Into the Canadian Wild, Alice Shirley, 2017
Picture of Hermes 90cm Silk Scarf Into The Canadian Wild by Alice Shirley, issued in 2017
Into the Canadian Wild, Alice Shirley, 2017
Picture of Dans un Jardin Anglais, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf designed by Alice Shirley. Blue, mustard yellow, white and pink
Dans un Jardin Anglais, Alice Shirley, 2015
Picture of Dans un Jardin Anglais, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf designed by Alice Shirley. Pink background, purple and green trees
Dans un Jardin Anglais, Alice Shirley, 2015
Picture
Dans un Jardin Anglais, Alice Shirley, 2015
Picture of Tyger Tyger, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf designed by Alice Shirley
Tyger Tyger, Alice Shirley, 2015
Picture of La Vie Sauvage du Texas, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf from 2015 designed by Kermit Oliver. Tabac, vert, rose indien
La Vie Sauvage du Texas, Kermit Oliver, 2015
Picture of La Vie Sauvage du Texas, a vintage Hermes silk scarf. Produced in 2015, this Kermit Oliver design features 122 plants and animals native to Texas. Silver and gray colored border
La Vie Sauvage du Texas, Kermit Oliver, 2015
Picture of Hermes Silk Scarf 90cm Colliers de Chien by Virginie Jamiin
Colliers de Chien, Virginie Jamin, 2013
Picture of Cheval de Mer, a vintage Hermes Silk Scarf by Christian Renonciat
Cheval de Mer, Christian Renonciat, 2012
Picture of Le Laboratoire du Temps, a green 90cm silk scarf from Hermes designed by Pierre Marie
Le Laboratoire du Temps, Pierre Marie, 2012
Picture of L'Ivresse de l'Infini, a 90cm vintage Hermes silk scarf designed by Zoe Pauwels in 2011. Pink with turquoise contrast hem
L'Ivresse de l'Infini, Zoe Pauwels, 2011
Picture of L'Ombrelle Magique, an Hermes 90cm Silk Scarf by Pierre Marie
L'Ombrelle Magique, Pierre Marie, 2010
Picture of Coupons Indiens, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf designed by Aline Honore from 2008. Coral, yellow, light brown, mint green
Coupons Indiens, Aline Honore, 2008
Picture of black and white Hermes 90cm silk scarf. Vif Argent by Dimitri Rybaltchenko
Vif Argent, Dimitri Rybaltchenko, 2007
Hermes scarf Cheval de Caractere by Dimitri Rybaltchenko
Cheval a Caractere, Dimitri Rybaltchenko, 2007
Picture of Texas Wildlife, a 90cm Hermes silk scarf designed by Kermit Oliver. Special edition in 2005 for Houston Museum of Fine Art. Bright yellow with a black border, it features an American turkey in the center
Texas Wildlife, SE, 2005
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Hommage a l'Explorateur Sir Ernest Shackleton, Zoe Pauwels, 2005
Hermes 90cm vintage silk scarf Fleurs de l'Opera by Julia Abadie
Fleurs de l'Opera, Julia Abadie, 1989
Picture of Texas Wildlife, a 90cm silk scarf from Hermes, designed by Kermit Oliver. Blue and mauve, featuring a turkey in the center
Texas Wildlife, Kermit Oliver, 1986

Woof Woof/La Source de Pegase

I love pink. I love Pierre Marie designs. I love dogs. I love a good SE. And here we have everything all rolled into one! The legend of the winged horse Pegasus' birth is given the Pierre Marie treatment in this 2021 design. As divine as this scarf is, I told myself I did not need another pink scarf. However, for a few years - beginning with Brides de Gala Love - Hermes has created special edition scarves packaged in heart-shaped boxes, and in 2021 a couple of romantic dachshunds were cut from other scarves and embroidered onto this pink colorway (as well as a pink Please Check In). The silk of the dogs is a surprise, and I believe this one is cut from Les Faceties de Pegase, a Dimitri Rybaltchenko design from 2014). 

Chiens au Rapport, Carl de Parcevaux

Cocker spaniels have been in my life since childhood. Until Virginie Jamin's Colliers de Chiens in 2013, the only Hermes scarf I could find that includes spaniels is Chiens au Rapport, a 1987 design by Carl de Parcevaux. This design pays homage to hunting dogs, specifically retrievers. Cocker spaniels were so named because they were most renowned for retrieving woodcocks. Retrievers are known for obedience but most of the spaniels in my life have been rather cheeky.

This particular design was issued in quite a few colorways, and I believe at one point I had all of them (perhaps five colorways?). Over time I've had to re-home the ones that have not gotten into a regular rotation in order to keep my collection from overtaking my entire house.

Fleurs de l'Opera, Julia Abadie

I do not enjoy opera. If there is an antithesis to a love of opera, that's how I feel about opera. So what about this design appeals to me? The colors! The contrast of the blue/black/rust makes me happy. And my mother loves the opera, so the names of the operas that line the border remind me of her.

Julia Abadie was quite a prolific Hermes scarf artist, designing 30+ scarves over 40+ years beginning in the early 1970s. The GMCS of Clic Clac au Pois is one that always brings a smile to my face.

Cheval de Mer, Christian Renonciat

This seahorse from 2012 is deceptive. A cream background with blue line art seems so blah compared to the details and colors that Jan Bajtlik, Annie Faivre or Pierre Marie might create. And yet the simplicity of this scarf's color scheme adds so much to any outfit, and it's fabulous for providing contrast when twining two carres together. To my knowledge, the only other scarf the artist has created for Hermes is Le Pegase d'Hermes. The common thread of those two designs is the intricate linework in the scarf. So while this may seem an unlikely favorite, it's a keeper.

Hommage a l'Explorateur Sir Ernest Shackleton, Zoe Pauwels

I typically associate Zoe Pauwels' designs leaning toward the graphic or abstract (I absolutely love Reve d'Australie but am re-homing most to make room in the scarf drawer), unlike this realistic depiction of Shackleton's journey on the Endurance, which ran aground in the Antarctic in the 1800s. Though the ship was destroyed he led all 28 crewmen to safety in Chile. For such a harrowing tale (a real event that covered 2 years), in 2005 she created a charming scene with happy penguins and sled dogs enjoying the company of the seamen.  I love the pink, the dogs, the contrasting hem... And penguins always make me smile in remembrance of a friend who fell into a penguin enclosure at the zoo as a teenager (penguins are NOT friendly when they feel threatened!).

Coupons Indiens, Aline Honore

Hermes designs follow annual themes, and 2008 was The Year of India. At the time, I pursued a mousseline Indian Dust, had 2 90s and 2 GM cashmeres of Carre Kantha, and helped others find their Beloved Indias. And since I was still fairly new to scarves Coupons Indiens felt weird.

Fast forward 14 years and OMG I love it! The colors are so fabulous and tie so many different ways I couldn't stop at one.

Colliers de Chien ("Dog Collars") and Colliers et Chiens ("Collars and Dogs"), Virginie Jamin

This 2013 design was inspired by the ephemera in the Hermes museum, located off the original Hermes boutique in Paris.  I've been privileged to get a tour of this private collection and gasped in delight at the collection of the collars. The first collar added to the Hermes collection was an enormous collar worn by a St. Bernard.

I have fond memories of the Denver boutique where I found this doggy-themed delight. Note the enamel Brazil scarf ring; the orange and black are perfect complements to the colors in the silk.
In 2021, Colliers de Chien got a little facelift - literally! Furry faces were added along the border (as well as a ribbon-like leash) - and since there's a cocker spaniel or two in the mix this was absolutely irresistible.
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Another twist to the design is the silk itself - rather than the traditional twill whose stiffness I love, this is a silk 'wash'. The washing technique is done by hand and gives the silk a super soft touch. I'm not sure I'm a fan of the silk wash; the softness makes it harder to secure a fancier knot. Still, the pups' appeal overrides the fabric concerns.