Artists traditionally sign their names discreetly in the corner of the scarf. When examining an Hermès scarf, make sure to look out for the scarf’s title and the artist signature. A tag that’s too large, bright orange, stitched only at the corners or says polyester is likely inauthentic. Even though the tags have changed over the years, it is incredibly helpful to familiarize yourself with them. People will often remove the label, however, so the lack of a fabric tag does not indicate that a scarf is counterfeit. The fabric tag, which will be sewn onto the scarf’s bottom corner, will read “Made In France” and should always be 100% silk (or soie, the French word for silk). It should almost snap back to its original shape.

Always feel the material, and pull on it side to side. This allows the scarf to be pulled, styled, knotted and so on while maintaining its perfect square shape. Hermès scarves are woven in a tight twill, which holds its shape and doesn’t collapse on itself like lightweight silks will. The house of Hermès looms their own silk, which is twice the weight of other silks on the market. It should come as no surprise that Hermès uses only the finest materials for their scarves, like any luxury item they create. If a scarf has a machine-stitched edge, an overlock stitch or anything besides a hand-rolled edge, it’s an indicator that the item is counterfeit.

Due to the painstaking nature of this process, one artisan may only roll the edges of seven scarves in a single day. It is a very time-consuming process to get the edges perfectly aligned and matched. The edges of each scarf are rolled by hand and stitched in place by artisans who exclusively sew scarves. The classic Hermès scarf is produced in two size variations - 70 x 70 cm and the traditional 90 x 90 cm version (in addition to the 45 x 45 cm pocket square and the 120 x 120 cm shawl) - and has delicate rolled edges. Read on for our expert team’s tips on spotting the real deal. Though you’re likely in awe of the dedication and intense artisanship that go into an Hermès scarf, there’s nothing more devastating than discovering your essential accessory is, in fact, counterfeit. Artisans spend six months determining the final color palette for a design, and engravers work an average of 750 hours to finalize the screens for each piece. It takes approximately 18 months for Hermès to create a scarf from start to finish. If you thought a Birkin took a monumental amount of time to produce, think again. Past artists have included Rei Kawakubo, a postmaster in Texas, a children’s book illustrator and many other types of talented individuals. And though all Hermès scarves are produced in Lyon, France, this signature piece is an international effort, with the atelier hiring people from across the globe to create their designs. Based on a woodblock drawing by Hermès family member Robert Dumas, the scarf made its first appearance in 1937. With the heritage house of Hermès, it’s their business to combine expert craftsmanship with the highest caliber of artistry, and no luxury product encapsulates this marriage of form and function better than the iconic Hermès scarf. AUTHENTICITY It’s not every day you come across a masterpiece, let alone one that you can wear.

Framed hermes scarf