Hermès introduced its first silk carré in 1937 — exactly one hundred years after the house was founded in 1837. In the eight decades since, the scarf program has expanded to several formats, hundreds of annual designs, and a dedicated secondary market for archive colorways. Understanding the formats is the starting point for both wearing and collecting them.

The formats

Fabrics and materials

The standard carré is printed on 90-thread silk twill — a heavier, more structured silk than most commercial silk scarves. The weight gives it drape behavior that lighter silk cannot replicate and is the reason Hermès scarves hold knots and folds consistently. Each color in each design is printed separately using engraved screens; a design with 30 colors requires 30 separate print passes. The rolled edges are finished by hand.

Cashmere-silk blends (shawl format) are softer and warmer but drape differently from the carré. They are not interchangeable in most styling applications — a cashmere-silk shawl will not hold a Parisian knot the way a silk twill carré does.

Wool-silk blends appear in some seasonal shawl formats. Heavier, with more texture, suited to cold weather but not to fine-knot styling.

Wearing the carré 90

Parisian knot (neck)

Fold the carré in half diagonally to form a triangle. Fold the triangle point-to-base several times until you have a long rectangle approximately 8–10cm wide. Wrap around the neck, cross one end over the other, pass one end through, and pull loosely. The knot should sit at the front, not under the chin. This is the most structured and formal neck application.

Classic triangle knot (neck)

Fold diagonally into a triangle. Drape the long edge across the back of the neck with the point hanging in front. Tie the two ends at the front or side. More casual than the Parisian knot — appropriate for relaxed carry alongside a Lindy or Evelyne.

Headscarf

Fold into a triangle, place the long edge at the hairline, bring the two ends behind the head and tie at the nape, or bring forward and tie under the chin. The 90 provides enough material for a full head wrap; the 70 is more proportionate for a simple hairline tie.

Belt

Fold the carré into a long rectangle 6–8cm wide. Thread through belt loops or tie around the waist over a dress. Works best with flat-front trousers or high-waisted skirts where the scarf sits flat against the body. The knot should sit at the hip, not centered.

Wrist

Fold into a narrow rectangle and wrap twice around the wrist, tying at the inside. More effectively done with the Gavroche or Twilly — the 90 produces a large amount of excess material at wrist scale.

The Twilly on handles

The Twilly's primary function is handle protection. The contact oils from daily carry transfer into Birkin and Kelly handle leather — darkening it unevenly over time in a way that professional conditioning can slow but not fully prevent. A Twilly wrapped tightly around the handle interrupts this transfer completely. The width of the Twilly (5cm) is proportioned to the handle circumference of the Birkin and Kelly — this is not incidental.

To wrap a handle: start at one end of the Twilly, wrap diagonally at a consistent angle along the full handle length, and secure by tucking the end under the final wrap or tying a small knot at the base. Both ends should be even in length. For Birkins, wrap both handles. For Kellys, a single handle wrap is standard; a second Twilly on the shoulder strap is an option for bags with a strap.

Seasonal considerations

• Spring and summer: The 90cm silk carré in a light-ground colorway. Headscarf and loose neck tie are the most appropriate applications — structured knots can feel heavy in heat. On bags, a Twilly in a contrasting color reads as intentional against light-colored leathers.
• Fall and winter: Cashmere-silk shawl formats. The 140cm shawl wraps as a shoulder covering rather than a neck accessory — a different use case entirely. Silk carrés still work for neck applications but feel less substantial than in warmer months.

Care and storage

• Cleaning: Dry cleaning is the safe default. Hand washing in cold water with a gentle silk-specific detergent is possible but risks color bleed on multi-color prints — test on an inconspicuous area first. Never machine wash.
• Pressing: Press on the reverse side through a pressing cloth at low temperature. Direct contact between a hot iron and the print surface will damage the silk and potentially lift the print.
• Storage: Flat or loosely rolled, in the original Hermès box or an acid-free tissue wrap. Away from direct light — silk is UV-sensitive, and fading on vintage carrés is the dominant condition issue in the secondary market. Do not store under compression.
• Handling: The print surface of a carré is more fragile than it appears. Rings, rough textures, and sharp jewelry can snag the weave. Wear on the bias side (the rolled edge rather than the print surface) when tying knots to reduce friction on the print.

Collecting

Hermès produces hundreds of carré designs annually across a rotating roster of seasonal themes. Certain archive designs — particularly those from the 1950s through 1980s, before digital printing techniques were introduced — are actively collected and trade above retail for mint examples. The secondary market for Hermès scarves operates separately from the bag market but follows similar condition logic: colorfastness, condition of the rolled edges, and the presence of original packaging all affect pricing.

The Twilly has its own secondary market, particularly in unusual colorways, leather-fringe editions, and limited runs. A leather-fringed Twilly in a rare colorway can command meaningful secondary premiums — they are produced in significantly smaller quantities than standard silk Twillys.

Frequently asked questions