Insights • Inspirations • Destinations • Design

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Hermes School of Decorating, Part 2


Since the first post on The Hermès School of Decorating was such a surprise hit, I thought I'd try another. Orange is still making headlines as a colour (the effects of Pantone's Tangerine Tango prediction perhaps?), and in fact is starting to be recognised as a 'classic' for women's wardrobes, alongside white and black. (It always looks amazing with either one.)


Someone told me recently that the Preppy's answer to orange was coral, but I don't know. I still think orange has a lot of life (and style) left in it... I don't know about you but I'm looking forward to a long hot orange summer.



Hermès' new wallpaper range, which is inspired by its scarves. The collection includes ‘Bibliothèque’, a drawing of a collection of equestrian books, and 'Pêle-mêle', a panorama in which horses and Hermès family members are playfully depicted. “We wanted to offer the possibility of dressing your home with that same Hermès quality and style," says a Hermès spokesperson. I love the orange print (above), which seems to epitomise Hermès' quirky elegance. The papers landed in stores in June this year.


A splash of orange lifts this monochromatic interior. I'd love a Hermès blanket but they're $1600 here and our dogs would make them look like $1.60 blankets within a day. {Via Habitually Chic}


The office of Japanese interior decorator Yasumichi Morita. Such a beautiful backdrop. {Via The Selby}


More framed scarves. This trend of framing silk scarves seems to be coming back into interior fashion. It's a lovely idea. Hermès scarves are so expensive they're almost investment pieces. {Via Skona Hem}


Although this is perhaps taking the scarf-as-art thing a bit far... {source unknown}


This was cute: a classic Chanel No 5 bottle reimagined in orange for a watercolour. If only Chanel re-released it in this shade? {Via Habitually Chic}


Christian Louboutin's country house. Look at how he's even decorated the doors and chairs in Hermès orange. Some people might think this is too much, but I think it's beautiful. Although it only works because of the scale of the room. {Via German Architectural Digest February 2007}


Grace Coddington's new memoir, designed with an uplifting, slightly retro, Cecil Beatoneque-meets-Hermès shade. Out in November. (I've already put it on the Christmas Wish List.)



 David Hicks' books on decorating. David was a big fan of Hermès orange. I've been trying to find editions of these but without success. (Cheap editions, that is.) Will keep looking. I love the turquoise cover: David Hicks on Living With Taste. Makes me laugh every time I see it.


Here's a vintage copy in Kate Spade's SoHo New York store. It wasn't for sale. I asked. They use them as part of the merchandising. Very witty. Although I'm not sure if David would have approved... (He would have gone in and rearranged everything.)


A classic film poster in an unexpected shade. Funny Face, with Miss Audrey.


Sweet! Although if the bike was in orange, it would be even better. {Via Russian Vogue}


A cheery orange carousel in Lisbon Portugal. I have a thing for carousels. Love them. LOVE them. There are several in Paris, and they always make for beautiful photos. {Via This is Glamorous}


America's First Lady Michelle Obama publicising her kitchen garden book. Michelle's a fan of orange too. And not just in the garden. {Source forgotten; will find and credit}


More coral-red than orange, but I'll still take it! Love this. Imagine it on a beach somewhere? {Ditto source}


A vintage Dodge in just the right shade of Hermès orange, perfect to cruise the summer streets in. Love this dashboard. Weren't cars simpler back then? The bucket seat is cute too. Oh, for a car like this! This is a real beach car.



I found this on iTunes the other day while searching for Stevie Nick's songs. (I was having a Seventies moment.) Loved the cover. Although I'm not sure what the third song, 'Fertilizer', is about?


Loving this too. So fabulous. Orange trench. Orange boots. Orange handbag. Too much, do you think? Perhaps. But isn't it eye-catching? I could see this on the streets of New York this winter. It almost needs a shiny black vespa to complete the outfit. Wish I knew who designed this coat. The bag looks very Hermès-ish.


20 comments:

  1. Love Hermes! And especially Hermes orange! Beautiful images! Thank you for sharing!

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  2. Love all the scarves, but I'm not sure I'd want to hang them on the wall or wear them. The dilemma! (which, sadly, I don't have!).

    Have you seen that Hermes are releasing a range of wallpapers? The prints are taken from their china and scarves. Might be a (slightly) more affordable way of covering a wall. xx

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  3. Thanks for telling me Heide! I've just updated the blog to include the new wallpapers. I'd love it if the company bought out a lot more. Some of the scarves are so beautiful.

    And yes, I don't have the scarf/wallpaper/framed art dilemma either! At $550 a scarf, I'd be hiding my scarf in a (Hermes) box and putting it in our safe with the passports! x

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  4. I am converted to orange! Looking at my recently added cushions - there be orange in that kaleidoscope of colour.
    Currently, contemplating the puchase of an orange bag. Is this the Faux Fuchsia/JanMac effect?

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    1. So pleased us orange-followers (makes us sound like a cult really?) have converted you! Those cushions sound lovely.

      I should have also included the Dutch royal family, since they're the House of Orange. What a great colour for a royal house! x

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  5. love that cute little....mmm.. thing in the second picture. The pretty woman with gorgeous skirt and shirt avec bicycle is she someone? (well known that is) a Lauder/ European princess. She looks beautiful.

    The scarf framing has given me an idea , I have a fifties french silk scarf with the Bayeux tapestry on it. It belonged to my mother. It has now lost its little sewn on label that said France. I wore it to death , it is now really ratty at the edges( bit like me) so maybe it is time to hang it up.

    Finally isn't Grace the greatest ? like everyone I loved her in the September Issue which featured a gorgeous orange Oscar de la Renta dress that La Wintour commented on.

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    1. Oh, forgot about that dress! You have such a sharp memory smr! Hope the scarf framing works out beautifully. x

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  6. Heh, I wonder if the scarves are good investments? They might increase in value in several years.. who knows!

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    1. A bit like Grace Coddington's first book. It was $80 on publication, then went up to $200 on Amazon, and now retails for between $1000 and $5000. If I were Grace, I'd be stockpiling my author issues to sell in my retirement! x

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  7. Orange is the colour of summer. Those framed Hermes scarves are so chic!

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    1. Almost a pretty as when they're worn, don't you think? This way, you can see all of the scarf. x

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  8. Dear Janelle

    Love this post with the Hermes and other oranges! The colours really sing! Such happiness!

    Have to confess to owning several Hermes scarves - have been buying them over the years and love them all to bits (also by other designers - as a scarfaholic) - have one in mint condition that was $5 in an Op shop. Tend to buy designer accessories as I wear very simple much cheaper clothes and use the accessories for the design interest.

    There are people who specialise in vintage designer scarves and take their stalls to the markets around Nice, Antibes etc - they often have lovely old ones (in v good condition) at reasonable prices, ecept for Hermes and LV which are always very expensive.

    So far have never been tempted to frame any of my scarves and wall them, but they look fabulous in the pics above. Have a wonderful large Jenny Kee from the days when she was doing the black opal prints and images of Australia (wildflowers and aboriginal art) - and a Niki de St Phalle/Yves Tanguy scarf that Niki designed for her retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art in Nice - an edition of 500, never to be repeated. Both these are really works of art. Have worn the Jenny Kee several times but not the Niki which has a white ground with a lovely band of pink - she used their designs for the Stravinsky fountain at the side of the Beaubourg. Maybe worth framing? but then would have to do a complete colour change at home. And do like to actually wear the scarves, it's so happiness-making to slip one around the neck of a simple jacket or sweater.
    Best wishes, Pamela

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    1. Hi Pamela, Those scarves sound beautiful, especially the white-and-pink Niki one with the fountain design. Would love to go to those Nice/Antibes vintage scarf stalls one day. Oh, what restraint I'd have to have! There are quite a few NY stores that sell those lovely old accessories too. Had to have GREAT restraint there. Thanks for popping in. So lovely to hear from you, as always. xx

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    2. I hadn't heard of Niki and Jean before , but on investigation I realised have seen their work.

      I love learning from people's comments.

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  9. Dear Janelle

    Further thoughts on this post:

    1. While I love the colour of the Hermes rug in the pic above, have never been one for the show-off designer object with a big logo or initial. Prefer something very discreet. I buy things because I love the colour and design and quality, not because of the logo.

    2. Could adapt the slogan above to "Melancholy is incompatible with orange"!

    3. Think I love the Louboutin room too, but agree only works because it's large and not a room that you would live in all day, or try to sleep in. Love the clash between the orange walls and the pink red carpet.

    4. Also love carousels, the French ones are so beautiful, often quite old and exquisitely painted and decorated - a lovely childhood fantasy. Came home with a quite a few photos of them. Saw several in the Midi as well as in Paris.
    5. Also looking forward to Grace C's new memoir - the cover alone is fabulous! Hope the writing is going well!
    Pamela

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  10. Hi Pamela, Not fond of showy, intial-y logos either. Love the slogan. Your holiday sounds wonderful. Would love to see the photos one day. xx

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  11. Mad about the pink and orange, could live in that room have a passion for old carousels but I absolutely must have the orange coat and boots!!!!!! Would perhaps carry a khaki bag though!!! As a non lover of orange I seem to always find something fabulous in your orange posts so perhaps I have been misleading myself all these years!!!!! xx

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  12. I saw lots of orange while doing a (rare) spot of shopping today. Lots of hot pink too! You'll love the summer fashions coming into the stores Jules - hot pink, red, orange, even navy: all our colours! xx

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    1. Oh dear that means I will have to head to the big smoke for a little shop!!!! Cannot resist those colours!

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