It takes 37 km of silk, spun by Bombyx Mori worms, to produce enough for one Hermes scarf. That’s one of the reasons they are so costly. Buy secondhand and you can reduce the cost by one half, to one third. What are the secrets to know, though?
One: Look for the Box
It is unusual for any owner to throw away an orange Hermes box, so when buying secondhand, look for the packaging first.
Two: Style It Like Jackie O
The late Queen, Jackie Onassis and Grace Kelly all sported their Hermes scarves in particular ways. Her Majesty the Queen wore hers as a headscarf, knotted under the chin, with a raincoat.
Jackie O wore hers also as a headscarf, but with her signature big, round, black sunglasses.
Grace Kelly wore hers as a sling when she injured her arm from a wasp sting in 1957. The Princess of Wales wears hers knotted at the neck with a jacket.
Three: Try Auctioneers
Hermes scarves can sell for as little as £100 at auction.
Four: Dry-Clean Don’t Hand-Wash
Take it from Hermes – only your dry-cleaner can do your scarf justice.
Five: Prices Vary by Pattern
Etsy is a good example of how a less popular design can sell for several hundred dollars less than a classic. It’s still Hermes!
Six: Avoid Fakes
To avoid fakes, look for the tiny tag sewn onto the corner which states “Made In France.” And…there’s no Hermes authenticity card. A copyright symbol and the artist’s signature is the other proof that you have the real thing. There is always an accent over the second ‘e’ in Hermes, too. It’s called a grave accent.
Seven: Look for Designers by Name
There is only one American designer in the Hermes range and his name is Kermit Oliver. His design “Pani La Shar Pawnee” (1984) shows the chief of the Pawnee People, a Native American tribe who was exiled from Nebraska and Kansas to the territory of Oklahoma. This central character holds a peace pipe with a carved horse.
Berlin-based Edouard Baribeaud and London-born Alice Shirley, are other names to watch.
Annie Faivre has created over 40 scarves for Hermès. Her carrés (scarves) always have a monkey hidden in the design. This stems from the artist’s childhood nickname “Little Monkey”.
This is a good overview of individual designers here by Elisabeth Steiger.
https://thepinklookbook.com/the-artists-behind-the-infamous-carre-hermes.
Eight: If You Find This, You’re In Luck
If you find the first Hermes scarf from 1937, you are in luck. It was based on a woodblock print by Robert Dumas, the son-in-law of Émile-Maurice Hermès. The design, called Jeu des Omnibus et Dames Blanches, was inspired by an old board game.
Nine: Tie Your Hermes on a Longchamp
Mix French designers and tie a secondhand Hermes on a secondhand Longchamps. Tik-Tok shows you how.
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/how-to-tie-scarf-on-longchamp-bag
Ten: Try a Secondhand Hermes Scarf Ring
For that slick, knotted look, use a scarf ring. You can pick up secondhand Hermes rings on eBay online for half price.
The rings themselves are as collectable as the scarves. Some have a miniature Kelly bag ornament. Some have the famous H letter. Expect to pay $200-$400.
