Happy Spring! Hopefully your life is edging (albeit perhaps slowly) back towards normal. Here in New York, everything has been open – but that doesn’t mean shopping has been a breeze. More than ever, I am finding that my short (-ish?) spring shopping list has been difficult to fulfill, even though I personally shop at two boutiques (and yes, my SAs know I shop at both).
I know the problem is not just with me, or with New York. I come across “in search of” or “have you seen — ?” questions on a daily basis, from friends across the United States and even around the world. With France (and presumably the workshops) closed, then open, then semi-closed (or was that semi-open?) again, I am told that regular production is still in progress…but it’s just slow, and that’s certainly understandable. As hopefully all who need a vaccine can get one soon, this will be less of an issue over the next few months, but the Spring/Summer season is now past the midway point, as Autum/Winter items usually start to make an appearance around July. What about those Carlotta clogs you’ve been pining for (good luck with that)? Or all of those pink bags we were promised for Spring? And for goodness sake, why would Hermès produce ALL of those navy blue Space Derby Clic H bracelets and necklaces, and NOT PRODUCE THE DANG SCARF?!? (Ok, can you guess what I’ve got on my list?).
In the meantime, I thought I would highlight a few new pieces that are actually somewhat available. The items I have selected to show you here have, by my own completely unscientific observation, been very popular and/or somewhat in demand (or I just really like them) AND they have not generally been impossible to find.
10 items to tide you over until Hermès goes back into full production:
Marble Silk Scarves and Twillies
Ok, these twillies are really cool. As much as I keep on top of what’s to come for the current season, I did not know about this item at all until my SA and I found a stack of them in the twilly drawer at the Madison Avenue boutique.
The design is done by a special Japanese silk marbling process – Hermès produced a video showcasing the technique – which makes the appearance multicolored and each twilly is unique (I personally selected very different twillies when I purchased my pair). The design can appear swirled or even feathered, and it looks great on almost any bag. The process does make these a bit more expensive though; in the US they are about $330 each. (If you’re doing a search: Twilly Marble Silk, colorway HG/Rose/Vert/Violet, Item No. 063714S 01 HTH2101).
In the same vein, Hermès is also producing larger scarves with the marbleization technique. In the last week I have had at least five friends ask me if I seen the 90cm Robe du Soir yet and I havent, but it has been available on the Hermès website in several different countries. There is also a large marbled silk muffler. For further information and updates, PurseForum has a thread dedicated to the topic.
Plumetis Twilly
On the subject of twillies, I’ve also found this Plumetis twilly to be pretty versatile. An “upcycled” item (it says so right there on the tag), Hermès doesn’t just produce twilly designs in new colorways, they will also make them from otherwise unsalable scarves. While I have been a somewhat slow adopter for the Plumetis offerings (in a lot of the prior designs I found the dots distracting), it works very well on this particular design. Plus, I happen to like the fact that the reverse side is just a plain color. This was available on the website early in the season, and can still be found in the boutiques.
La Marche du Zambeze Scarf
La Marche du Zambeze by Ardmore Artists has been one of the more popular designs over the last few years, so many collectors who missed out on the initial run were thrilled to have the opportunity to purchase this one again.
The Coolest Baseball Hats
I personally am not a cap person, but even I was tickled to see this lovely hat display at Madison a few weeks ago:
Not to mention this pretty silk cap, too:
Quite honestly, I tend to buy hats and never wear them, so I hadn’t paid much attention to Hermès hats before, but the caps are well-made, useful and appealing. They are also a somewhat more elegant alternative to the usual baseball hat-style advertising. While most of the caps (except the silk ones) are visually understated, they are available at several price points, ranging from $325 (for the Roger Cap) to $1,175 (for the Amira), with most options toward the lower end of that price range.
Cheval Punk 100cm Scarf
A men’s 100cm cashmere-blend scarf, the Cheval Punk design has a unisex appeal, being offered in enough colors to appeal to many (some men’s scarves are offered in plainer or mostly neutral colors, although corporate seems to have noticed recently that women do buy the men’s scarves and vice versa). The size is also refreshing; a little bigger than a typical 90cm, but not as overwhelming as a 140cm shawl, it reminds me of the 90cm cashmere-blend women’s scarves Hermès used to offer years ago.
Collier de Chien Aluminum Cuff
Admittedly I am not really into fashion jewelry as I was when I was younger; for one thing, I know those Clic H and Enamel bracelets are a very slippery slope, and for another, my wrists don’t tend to fare very well when I’m wearing a leather bracelet. However, the new aluminum Collier de Chien pieces are incredibly visually appealing, with the iconic design in very saturated colors. These are also easily available and will be coming in the narrower CDC 24 design soon.
Oran Nano Charm
For those who find the Rodeo Charm a little too cutesy, or too big (or are just waiting for the Pegase Rodeo to start appearing), the Oran Nano charm is readily available in a variety of colors. They are frequently available on the website and in the boutiques.
Denim Orans
For Hermès shoe lovers, the Oran is the official shoe of the summer, a simple design that’s made to last and goes with everything from jeans and tees to long flown maxi dresses. I am a very late convert to the Oran, but the versatility of this shoe is undeniable, as well as the fact that as a comfortable flat, it suits all ages too. Every season Hermès produces the usual colors, and adds some new iterations. My favorite new color for the Oran this season is the denim version; while not as easy to find as, say, noir (I actually have yet to track this down myself, although it has been on the website), it’s going to be much easier to find than the extremely popular Calya mule.
Kelly Dépêches 25 Pouch
Although this is considered a men’s bag, I love the streamlined Kelly Dépêches 25 Pouch. It’s a reasonable size, it’s unmistakably Kelly, it’s got a removable wrist strap and therefore is a viable clutch. It has a long pocket along the front side and it’s available in three colors right now on the website!
Trim Bag
I admit there is a special place in my heart for the Trim Bag. The first Trim I owned was in gold togo with gold hardware and it carried me through the baby years of my now-17 year old, bearing the distinction of being the only shoulder bag that ever actually stayed on my shoulder. I was thrilled to see Hermès brought this classic, chic, easy style back, in its traditional shape, in the duo version (easier for those who like to be more organized) and with these fun, colorfully fringed designs. You don’t have to track them down, and all the fun colors are available!
