Hermès Carré Club
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When living in Paris, attending a free Hermès exhibition at Le Carreau du Temple is just a typical Saturday morning activity.
Okay, maybe not. A typical Saturday morning for Parisian students is squeezing onto the metro before squeezing into a crowded café, all the while hoping no one makes you buy something before you finish your coursework. But, sometimes, appreciating a little fashion on your way is not out of the question.
Now, a bit of history on this iconic French luxury goods manufacturer:
Hermès has served the international elite, initially for their horse-and-carriage accessory needs, since 1837. The original workshop on the Grands Boulevards of Paris specialized in award-winning harnesses and bridles for French noblemen. By 1880, one of the Hermès brothers established a store at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where loyal customers can shop today (or people like me, a girl who stares longingly at the chic throw pillows for her imaginary Parisian apartment).
Aside from the iconic Duc carriage logo and that ever-recognizable ‘H,’ perhaps the most well-known image of Hermès is that of the carré—the (square) silk scarf. First introduced in 1937, the carré still makes up 12% of Hermès’ sales today. Each measures 90 cm by 90 cm, with hand-stitched hems and carefully printed designs that go well beyond the popular Brides de Gala edition. The square has been worn by royalty and fashionistas alike (see Grace Kelly Princess of Monaco sporting it as an arm sling below) since its inception.
And it is just this creativity surrounding the silk scarf that the Carré Club aims to celebrate. Showcasing around 11 artists on their world tour, the brand comes home to Paris to invite anyone and everyone into the studios and minds that birth the new prints debuted every year.
But it isn’t just idle observation of artists at work that makes up this multi-day event. There’s a karaoke booth, professionally-lit photo-ops, a skate ramp (with bean bags?), and multiple cafés/bars. Everything is Hermès-themed, with some questionably English-translated lightbox signs to match (not sure “born to be square” or “be there or be square” quite convey what they wanted). Monochromatic booths with old rotary phones held Carré Stories, which gave listeners another way to discover the spirit behind the creative process.
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The one I picked up featured a man recounting, in his most sensual French, his love for—uh—peas (pois): “J’adore tous les types de pois. Les pois cassés (split peas), les pois chiches (chickpeas)… mais mon preféré est la princesse au petit pois (the princess and the pea).” It was the almost non-sensical features like that that made a potentially haughty setting so light-hearted and inviting… Until you consider getting a carré for yourself. The Brides de Gala motif retails for about 370 euros. Maybe next holiday season.
Regardless of the steep prices, this event gets an A+ in terms of marketing. Scarves are strewn about a table for everyone to fawn over, and nearby is a row of stylists ready to artfully wrap the carré in any style you’d like; be it in your hair or around your neck. Attendants are ready for all questions and, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, can direct you to any of the three Paris locations.
Images via the author
Despite the grandiosity of Hermès, the Carré Club really is just a perfect addition to your typical weekend in Paris. Open to anyone, the space was neither intimidating nor suffocating but playful and bright. In a place that prides itself on celebrating art and the art of fashion, there was really no better city for the Carré Club to have its last hoorah.
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