The Hermès scarves you need now.

by Rohaizatul Azhar

The Hermès scarf needs no introduction. Whether it is silk, cashmere or cotton, the motif and artworks on each scarf were designed by artists who have been commissioned by the French fashion house. 

At THE FIFTH COLLECTION, you know we love any piece that is versatile, and scarves are probably our most favourite because it can be part of our look, or hung up on the walls at home. Plus, not only does every scarf design has its own interesting back story, for many collectors, the scarf they purchase become part of their own narrative -  fabrics of their lives, so to speak. 😉

Want to know which one to get? Scroll down for our top five iconic and rare scarves that are no longer in production. 

Did You Know? Hermés started collaborating with the Ardmore Collective, a thriving artist community in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands of South Africa, in 2010. This silk carré, for instance, features the South African protea flower, and is the third design by the collective for the house. 

The vibrant but easy-to-match colours of this silk scarf is perfect to be worn around your head as a chic hairband, a cute bandeau top, or even as a simple pop of colour detail to your overall look. 

Did You Know? The artist Michel Duchene and Hermès had received the authorisation from the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology, known for preserving Indian heritage, culture and religions, to produce this scarf as a tribute. This is reflected in the French name of the scarf which loosely translates to "With the kind permission of the Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Institute of Indology" in English.

With its large size (140cm by 140cm), this lightweight summer silk scarf can be worn as a top, or as a wrap. We'd frame this piece up and hang it as a wall art because of the beautiful traditional and intricate Indian illustrations and motifs.

Did you know? The French artist Anne Faivre was inspired by the Maharani of Jaipur,  Princess Gayatri Devi of Cooch Behar, who was well-loved by her people and was known to be a  champion for women's rights. In the 1940s, the Indian queen founded a school for girls and, 20 years later, became one of the first few females in the country's history to be elected into parliament by a large majority. Can we say "Girl Power"? 

We love the intricate floral design, which is based on the motifs of the Mughal empire era, giving the piece a more feminine appeal.

Did You know? The samurai warriors of medieval Japan often wore richly ornamented armour.  One of these armours, crafted in bronze, iron, gold, leather, silk and lacquer, became an inspiration for the artist Aline Honoré. The artwork is based on the private collection of samurai armour put together by the 3rd and 4th generations of the great art‑collecting family, the Barbier-Muellers. 

This giant cashmere-silk shawl is also great when styled as a cozily dishevelled and bundled up look for chic warmth-trapping as the temperature starts to dip.

Did you know? The leopard print illustration is the result of the creative collaboration between Hermès women's artistic director, Bali Barret, and the late French artist, Robert Dallet, known for his animal illustrations. This particular edition was issued in 2013 and features popular Hermès products, including the Birkin bag, the bolduc ribbon, and iconic jewellery such as the Farandole necklace. 

Here are some tips to get the most of your scarves.

1. Learn as many ways as possible to tie different type/size of scarf. A great resource for this is the Silk Knot app by Hermés. Or you can simply head to Pinterest where there is a multitude of short how-to videos or collages

2. Love a scarf design but can’t seem to pull it off with your style? Why don’t you frame it or have a seamstress transform it in a cushion.

3. Store your scarves in a prominent location in your closet and always see if you could use one with your look du jour.