Glorious Deep Navy Classic ‘Mors a la Connetable’

This scarf is the reason why we love Hermes.  It’s a classic design, in the most elegant and vibrant of colours, guaranteed to lift any outfit, and shout ‘HERMES!’ because there is simply nothing else that screams this sort of quality! Who cares what the design actually illustrates – it’s just beautiful! And also, it provides a typical Hermes conundrum.

Designed by iconic Hermes artist, Henri d’Origny, the scarf was first issued in 1970, but judging by its care label, this one is almost certainly a 1985 reissue.

It feels as new, so we’re presenting it as we find it, with all the original stiffness, brightness, clarity and folds of a brand new scarf. If you look closely, you will find some very subtle marks and a couple of extra creases, but we couldn’t bear to take it to the cleaners and lose its untouched feeling, despite this scarf being an incredible 40 years old! Condition: 9.9/10.

The scarf calls itself “Le Mors ‘A la Conetable’ “, but it is listed in Genevieve Fontan’s Hermes Bible, under ‘Mors a la Connetable’.  This would translate as the (horse) bit of the ‘connétable’,  the most important officer in the French army after the office of Sénéchal, a post which was abolished in 1191 (or 1627, according to other sources). The Connétable was the First Officer of the Crown, and had many responsibilities, including: Commanding all military officers, Financing the army, and Administering military justice. 

This sort of research journey is why our job is so endlessly fascinating!

Henri d’Origny began his career at Hermes in 1958 when he first designed several of the now iconic ties, most notably, his Elephants.

“When I do my designs, it is like writing music,” he says. “My vocabulary is graphic, repetitive, geometric, with the base of equestrian elements.”