SINGAPORE - The very first silk scarf designed by French luxury label Hermes will be on display for the first time in Singapore at an exhibition opening on Saturday (May 11).
The scarf was launched by Hermes in 1937 and silk scarves are one of the brand's most iconic products today.
But Hermes' artistic director of cultural patrimony Menehould de Bazelaire said the scarf was not always a popular fashion item for women, at not least not in the 1930s.
"At the time scarves were only worn by men in the military and not worn by women. Soldiers would wear cotton scarves. So when Hermes launched a silk one for women it was considered avant-garde."
The Hermes Heritage - In Motion exhibition explores the theme of movement and travel through the lens of the 182-year-old French luxury house.
Speaking to The Straits Times earlier this week (May 8), Ms de Bazelaire says that besides exploring mobility, the exhibition is also a story of perpetual improvement.
"This exhibition was really for us to think about motion and to be in the mood to move always. Not just to travel but also for Hermes as a brand to keep moving, not to be too nostalgic about the past but to always innovate and move forward."
The exhibition takes up the top two floors of the four storey Liat Towers store. It will be open to the public and entry is free.
It features 72 items from the Emile Hermes Collection, pictures and documents from the Hermes Conservatoire of Creations and contemporary pieces from the brand. The Emile Hermes Collection is the private collection of Emile Hermes, grandson of the label's founder Thierry Hermes. Kept in Paris, the private collection is not open to the public and comprises almost 15,000 items.Some of the items at the Hermes Heritage - In Motion exhibition are on display in Singapore for the first time, including a 19th century carriage for children, designed to be drawn by a pair of goats.
"For Hermes, movement is about comfort and elegance, but also about fun and humour," says Ms de Bazelaire.
The exhibition also includes augmented reality (AR). For certain items on display, visitors will be able to use tablets to view animated AR graphics specially designed to appear on the showcased pieces.
Visitors will also be able to download an audio guide to get more information about the exhibition. Earphones will be provided.
Ms de Bazelaire hopes that visitors will not only find the exhibition intriguing but will also see a new side of Hermes.
"I hope they will be able to see the depth of the brand and its stories and heritage. I hope they find pleasure and have fun here."
The Hermes Heritage-In Motion exhibition will open to the public from Saturday (May 11) to 19 at the Hermes Liat Towers boutique. Admission is free and the exhibition opens daily from 10.30am to 8pm.
