Hermès Scarves Unveiled: "No Sex. No Blood."

Photo: Hermès

I love Thursdays not just because it means the weekend is almost here but also because on Thursdays, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times have sections dedicated to fashion.  I'm always so curious to see what the story of the week will be.  This week, the WSJ featured a story on the makings of one of the most desired and revered accessories in fashion, the Hermès scarf.  Hermès scarves are a status symbol and if you've ever looked closely at one, they are an amazing work of art.  Unfortunately, at $400+ a piece, it doesn't come cheaply either.  (Check them out on Hermès' website). 

The WSJ's gives reader an inside peek at how these beautiful and intricate scarves are designed.  There isn't just one designer nor do they need to be of French descent.  The designers are usually freelance artist who hail from all parts of the world.  Here's a fun fact, there's only been one from the U.S. - Waco, TX and his day job is a postman.  About 50 artists work with Hermès to produce 20 designs a year.  The artists own the intellectual property but collaborate with a team in which the final design can take years to develop.  There's only one rule, "No sex. No blood."  

When the design is complete, Hermès artisans located in Lyon, France work to make the design into a scarf.  There are 750 employees at that location including engravers who work on engraving the design on a screen for printing.  This takes approximately 750 hours to do.  Color is also a major component as each scarf has on average 27 colors. Once the silk scarves are cut, a seamstress hand rolled the edges with tiny stitches.  It is a very precise production with no quotas or deadlines.

Now I can see why the scarves are sold for $400+ and with good demand.  Some people buy them to frame and display on their wall - now that's an idea!

Read More:

WSJ: Every Scarf Has a Story

WSJ Video: Secrets of the Hermès Scarf