The legendary luxury brand Hermès unveiled in early September a new scarf featuring an Armenian alphabet motif to mark the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Solidarité Protestante France-Arménie (SPFA), a humanitarian organization created in France in 1990 to aid victims of the Spitak earthquake in Armenia, Asbarez reporrs.
On Wednesday, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès, and Janik Manissian, president of SPFA, announced that the silk carré will be on sale, by subscription only, until Nov. 30.
The proceeds from the exclusive, limited edition scarf are to be donated to the SPFA for its continued efforts in Armenia.
Ten years after “Jardins d’Arménie,” the new design by Hermès, called “Lettres d’Erevan,” celebrates 25 years of the SPFA. The silk scarf is presented in two colors. The scarf, featuring the Armenian alphabet, is a “testimony to the surprising vitality of the Armenian people and their culture,” as Pierre-Alexis Dumas explained during the presentation at the Petrossian Restaurant & Boutique in Beverly Hills.
On the scarf, dropped capitals and friezes are drawn in delicate calligraphy and illuminated in the style of ancient manuscripts. In the middle of the writing, under a richly embellished arch, a sage sits meditating beneath a starry sky; in his hands, he holds the tools of knowledge: a quill and an open book.
Speaking to Asbarez, the SPFA’s general secretary Clément Hellich-Praquin expressed her organization’s gratitude for the initiative from Hermès. “As a small organization that struggles to meet its operational needs through limited resources, this is truly a great honor for us,” Hellich-Praquin said. “We can continue to do great work for young children in Armenia and Artsakh thanks to this gesture from Hermès.”
More information and access to order forms can be obtained at the SPFA website.
