Scarves Hermès scarf colors

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And on the recent 45cm JARDIN SUR LE TOIT - all cws show a pen & ink drawing, but the number of colors varies widely
The black and white - was two colors exactly, black field & white drawing
Cw 12 has a red building & red rooftop garden, other buildings are blue or green, and the field is beige, cf below, very different coloration
Most cws eg the gris/blanc/multi have the design in one color, but the rooftop garden is multicolor, as in blue exemplar below
Clearly widely varying numbers of colors (inks), perhaps they did more passes on the b&w cw since it had fewer colors/passes to begin with - more passes = better definition
The printing varies widely from cw to cw on JARDIN - the flowers are not colored in all cws, for ex

PS long term effects of these intended printing variations ... The lack of colored flowers is not an absolute tell of fakeness
Cf TPF discussions of orange Turandot (about a year ago), and of this week's chat about Mountain Zebra that lacked a stem on a flower
Photos from h.com

Not to beat this to death, but...I ordered the CW12 with beige yellow sky to compare with the CW13 Pen & Ink with color only on garden I showed earlier. Posting photos to show front and reverse just for fun. Note: The saturation on the CW13 garden is deeper than shows in this photo. Ambient Light is mix of natural and LED candelabra.
 
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Just picking my way through this thread, thank you for all the fascinating information.
It’s a fact the silks have evolved in step with modern tastes and technology. for the good as well as bad.
I admire all the photographic details and sensitive renditions in the older designs, such as Linares Plumes., but have never worn them.
Back in the 80s when I started buying, the palette of colours and types of designs was very very limited.I used to venture into the store with little idea of what I wanted, there was no information around then, and nothing would suit me. It was all about traditional designs in very obvious crude colourways; navy blue, maroon, sickly cream, gold and red. Very little green, coral, orange or petrol blues.
I really did struggle to find anything wearable , and the overbearing SA s at that time were no help at all.

Now Hermès are far more commercial and seek to cover a broad demographic , so hence the very varied colour palettes and designs from the intricate Parures des Samurais type to the spare graphic ones.
My pet hate is unsaturated reverse which is why I didn’t want a silk P de S ., otherwise I’m very happy with the turn the company has taken.
I especially appreciate the more asymmetric designs and more edgy colour combinations.If they were to cut back on quality of silk or hand rolling that would be a different matter !
 
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I have no clue on that. The H cocoons come from Brazil, then the silk fabric is woven in Lyon. Your guess is as good as mine
But, if you think of all the silks that H makes: vintage - woven differently , twill, summer twill - lightweight, wash - basic twill but acid washed ?, they all feel different, you can get the feel you want by weaving (vintage) or processing (acid wash) or changing the weight (summer twill) ...
And if you look on the caretag - they all say 100 % silk, as if they were all made the same , which they are not
So I bet you could get almost any feel with ethical silk, IF you tried hard enough
Fakes often dont feel right because they are lighter weight silk, but there are fakes of the correct weight and I cant tell them apart based on the hand of the silk.
The fakers chose to use lighter weight silk, for the most part, because of cost, they are aiming for a $30 price point not a $400 price point. They can do EXACT copies but they would sell fewer
PS I dont know if H would claim their silk is ethical or not
Remember the kerfuffle about crocodile skins for Birkins? Jane Birkin announced she would no longer allow them to use her name because their leather was not humanely produced. LOTS of stuff in the press about that ... the matter was quietly settled - not much press coverage ... I dont know if todays croco is more ethical or not .... well they still sell croco Birkins ...
thanks for your reply Marietouchet. I'm just trying to get a handle on how modern techniques in the industry are moving ahead with respect to the natural environment in terms of silk and leather production to ensure high animal welfare but respect the history and craft of the brand. I would hope Hermes would be investing in methods of silk production and dyeing techniques that still brings us a high quality product but at less cost to the environment. I try to do my bit by purchasing fewer scarves (and clothes in general), most are pre-loved so less impact overall. We can all cut down on what we purchase to save the planet - it's up to us to decide where those cuts are made. Small steps and all that....
 
General question MT, do you know if the process for producing ethical (kinder/humane) silk produces the same sort of quality? ie would it have the same handle feel, does a few extra days of the cocoon make a difference to quality and subsequent product?

Logically, yes. Each cocoon is made of a single continuous strand of silk. While the cocoon is whole, it can be unwound as a single continuous strand. This is what creates the strength and hand of fine silk. Ethical sericulture allows the moth to emerge from the cocoon before it is unwound; the moth creates a hole in the cocoon to escape. A cocoon with a hole in it can no longer render a single continuous strand. Fabric woven from shorter strands of variable length is less fine. And given Hermes' processes, any variability in the silk would affect the quality of the printing, resulting in more rejects and waste (er, recycled stuffing).
 
Logically, yes. Each cocoon is made of a single continuous strand of silk. While the cocoon is whole, it can be unwound as a single continuous strand. This is what creates the strength and hand of fine silk. Ethical sericulture allows the moth to emerge from the cocoon before it is unwound; the moth creates a hole in the cocoon to escape. A cocoon with a hole in it can no longer render a single continuous strand. Fabric woven from shorter strands of variable length is less fine. And given Hermes' processes, any variability in the silk would affect the quality of the printing, resulting in more rejects and waste (er, recycled stuffing).
I looked up ethical sericulture and indeed there are some companies that supply silk like this. Apparently, the silk is a bit less lustrous, and a little slubby... sounds like raw silk.
 
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Yes
I looked up ethical sericulture and indeed there are some companies that supply silk like this. Apparently, the silk is a bit less lustrous, and a little slubby... sounds like raw silk.
Yes, raw silk ! Hermes is now into artisanal scarves from India, Nepal, Bangladesh eg Bandini, plume CS , shibori etc I bet they will have some raw silk soon
 
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Yes

Yes, raw silk ! Hermes is now into artisanal scarves from India, Nepal, Bangladesh eg Bandini, plume CS , shibori etc I bet they will have some raw silk soon
I have quite a few pieces of raw silk from Jim Thompson (Thailand)-very beautiful. Interesting that you think Hermès may be getting into that!

On another note, I had a meeting last week with a Chinese couple from Szuchou (that great Marco Polo silk-producing city). They may be getting my scarf designs produced there. That would be exciting!!
 
I have quite a few pieces of raw silk from Jim Thompson (Thailand)-very beautiful. Interesting that you think Hermès may be getting into that!

On another note, I had a meeting last week with a Chinese couple from Szuchou (that great Marco Polo silk-producing city). They may be getting my scarf designs produced there. That would be exciting!!
I have no advance knowledge of their foray into that but it would make sense
They are always trying something new - wash , tattoo, vintage silk etc - all of that novelty makes the collections harder to predict and fake, and their is always something new to buy at the store
 
I have quite a few pieces of raw silk from Jim Thompson (Thailand)-very beautiful. Interesting that you think Hermès may be getting into that!

On another note, I had a meeting last week with a Chinese couple from Szuchou (that great Marco Polo silk-producing city). They may be getting my scarf designs produced there. That would be exciting!!

Jahna, I am excited to hear this news! Please share when your designs are ready for purchase:flowers:
 
View attachment 4528520 “Ledoux’s Horses”— my little composition to compare front/back of three scarves 60s, 70s, 80s— with a nod to V.Rybaltchenko for completing Mousquetaires.
If you still have all 3 out ... TOUR & HIVER look to be an older printing style eg the logo on TOUR does not have perfectly shaped letters, not broken but typical of early ones. 3M on the other hand looks to have better printing (or am I hallucinating???) It is the latest of the 3 and might be printed with more accurate technology.
I will try to pull mine and scrutinize.... when my hands are washed, not now
Based on empirical observations of (obsessing about LOL) my own scarves, I think they bought better/different printing machines ca 1979, sometime in the 1990s, 2004 and more recently
So a pre-1979 scarf is printed not as crisply as a post-1979 one, but I dont know the exact transition date, around the time of 3M and when Jean Louis Dumas took over.
And of course, until recently, the scarves all soaked through to the reverse side
Everyone needs a hobby to keep them amused, this is one of mine LOL
 
If you still have all 3 out ... TOUR & HIVER look to be an older printing style eg the logo on TOUR does not have perfectly shaped letters, not broken but typical of early ones. 3M on the other hand looks to have better printing (or am I hallucinating???) It is the latest of the 3 and might be printed with more accurate technology.
I will try to pull mine and scrutinize.... when my hands are washed, not now
Based on empirical observations of (obsessing about LOL) my own scarves, I think they bought better/different printing machines ca 1979, sometime in the 1990s, 2004 and more recently
So a pre-1979 scarf is printed not as crisply as a post-1979 one, but I dont know the exact transition date, around the time of 3M and when Jean Louis Dumas took over.
And of course, until recently, the scarves all soaked through to the reverse side
Everyone needs a hobby to keep them amused, this is one of mine LOL

:giggle:I for one am most happy that this is your hobby. I have learned so much you:flowers:
 
If you still have all 3 out ... TOUR & HIVER look to be an older printing style eg the logo on TOUR does not have perfectly shaped letters, not broken but typical of early ones. 3M on the other hand looks to have better printing (or am I hallucinating???) It is the latest of the 3 and might be printed with more accurate technology.
I will try to pull mine and scrutinize.... when my hands are washed, not now
Based on empirical observations of (obsessing about LOL) my own scarves, I think they bought better/different printing machines ca 1979, sometime in the 1990s, 2004 and more recently
So a pre-1979 scarf is printed not as crisply as a post-1979 one, but I dont know the exact transition date, around the time of 3M and when Jean Louis Dumas took over.
And of course, until recently, the scarves all soaked through to the reverse side
Everyone needs a hobby to keep them amused, this is one of mine LOL

Thank heavens this is your hobby so I can selfishly and more easily access the depths of it. Although the three are put away, I see your points.
The Tour, 1963, has its own special character of silk feel as well as printing characteristics. I would amateurishly describe it as “light weight” in both compared to the 1981 3M. The 1975 (based on copyright location) Hiver falls closer to Tour than 3M, given 3M’s rich, deep colors; however, this particular Hiver is not the best example as it apparently lived a hard live in Eastern Europe before migrating to USA. Smoking and washing may have impacted its coloration.
 
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Does anyone have this scarf? In the pictures I have seen it looks like a true grey. But I wonder if it has some blue tones to it. I would like to put it on my wishlist but I find different pictures seem to portray different undertones. Like the first photo looks like a bluish grey. Is that true? TIA:flowers:

In googling I have found theses pics.
 

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