You’ve never seen a shawl until you’ve seen a hand-beaded Hermes shawl

I’m often first in line to make gentle fun of things like $700 Hermes wine-raters, but what the company does with some of its products is truly inspirational to those of us who love accessories and the craft that goes into making them. For every leather-covered non-mechanical pencil, there’s something like the Hermes Le Pegase Lumiere Shawl, a hand-adorned piece that mixes traditional artisanship with modern aesthetics so flawlessly that I almost don’t care what other silly things might lurk in some of the more overpriced corners of an Hermes boutique. It really must be seen closer to be believed, so follow us after the jump…

You see all that shimmer of varying density on the Pegasus’ wing? Hand-applied sequins. On the diagram of human flight at the top? Hand-sewn glass beads. All those silver spots at the mechanical joints? Actual silver nail heads. The shawl may be made of 56 square inches of the world’s softest silk muslin, but truth be told, I wouldn’t wear this piece – I’d have it framed and mounted on the wall above my bed. When Hermes scarves come in to play, the line between fashion and art gets very, very thin indeed. Buy through Hermes for $5850.