Making of an Hermès scarf

Going off my usual knitting themed topic here...

My friend, Elyse, and I were walking around the city the other day and came across this awesome Hermès demonstration tent.  Designers and artists from the clothing/fashion company were showing how they make some of their extraordinary products right there in the tent.  Everything from purses to ties, to scarves.  Elyse and I enjoyed an hour long demonstration on silk printing.  Here are some awesome photos!

Before the scarf makes it to this point in the process, it has already been designed by a designer and an engraving of the design has been finished by an engraver.  One design example they showed us took 2000 hours just to engrave!  After the engraving is complete, it is placed on top of a white mesh with solar blue paint which seals together when hit by the sun and drops off in shade.  The engraving has been put on a clear sheet which uses black areas to create the shade and then the blue paint seals under the clear area of the engraving.  Once that is complete, it is attached to a steel frame and is finally ready for the silk painting process.

First, the silk is laid out flat and taped down on a heated table.  The heat helps the dye to dry faster.

 

Next, the painter places the steel framed screen on the track and places over the area of the silk to be painted.  Then he adds the proper dye for the portion of the scarf he is currently painting.

 

Then, he takes a giant squeegee type thing and pushes the paint over the screen with equal amount of pressure on both sides in both directions.  The paint that lands on the sealed area stays on the screen and the paint that lands over the open mesh seeps through to the scarf.

 

Then he lifts up the steel frame and moves it to reveal the completed first screen.  This particular scarf requires 15 different screens for 15 different colors.

 

Here's a look at some of the other finished screens as he went along...

 

 

 

And the finished product!

It really was an amazing process.  It's so cool to see the artistry and focus that goes into making these.  Makes you appreciate the craftsmanship that much more! :)