A `velvet-like` effect is created on a douches satin scarf
by lifting off the threats with a tiny knife, and `shaving them off`
It can take 800 hours to make a coveted Hermès scarf. Or 2000
hours, if the design has many shades, and therefore require a longer colour layering
process, starting from engraving or sketching to screen printing. This is considered a short period, in comparison
to the amount of time it takes for an apprentice to become fully skilled in
making highly-desired handbags, which this luxury brand is perhaps best known
for. Three years….three years which start with mastering a single task, for
example double-stitching on a handle, and then progressing, month by month, year
by year, to acquire expertise in making the final product.
The workshops of
this famous brand are located in France (scarves are made near Lyon), in Monte
Carlo (exquisite silk and jersey tops are created in the principality), and Switzerland,
where a team of skilled craftsmen assembly their watches.
I learnt these, and other interesting facts from Hermès craftspeople
that set up their stalls in the Saatchi Gallery, to answer questions,
demonstrate their technique, and celebrate the year of the artisan, during a
week-long Hermès Festival des Métiers (Festival of Crafts).
Burnt-orange – a trademark Hermès colour – features in many
accessories, including scarves
I witnessed a demo of a Kelly bag being hand-stitched in
front of my eyes; it may actually take 18 hours or more for it to be fully
assembled, depending on the skin being used; for example crocodile and snake necessitate
more precision in matching the pattern.
Due to a very high demand (now with the added pressure
coming from the emerging economies), long and elaborate training for those who hand-make
them, very strict quality control, and often difficulty in obtaining a perfect
skin and shade of colour to make the whole bag, no wonder that a waiting list
for a Kelly is growing, and growing!
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