L’INSTRUCTION DU ROY HERMES SCARF BY HENRi D’ORIGNY & the Book that inspired it

I have now for a long time been in love with this d’Origny design.

No-one else, in my opinion, can arrange, bits, bridles, gourmette chains and reigns as masterfully as Henri d’Origny.
In his scarves these ordinary objects take on extraordinary qualities. With a single brushstroke he transforms a simple bit into a stunning piece of jewelry.

Monsieur d’Origny began his career at Hermes in 1958 when he first designed several of the now iconic ties, most notably, his Elephants. More on that in a separate post on *Hermes ties*. (work in progress).
“When I do my designs, it is like writing music,” he says. “My vocabulary is graphic, repetitive, geometric, with the base of equestrian elements.” It is exactly this graphic, repetitive and geometric quality that speaks to me.

Other examples of d’Origny’s designs include Classics such as Mors et Gourmettes, Le Mors a la Conetable, Grand Manege, Grand Tenue, Eperon d’Or and a more recent design, his Projets Carres.

**Mors et Gourmettes** Hermes scarf by Henri d’Origny (1961) – SOLD

Le Mors a la Conetable VTG HERMES Silk Scarf — Le Mors a la Conétable HERMES Scarf by Henri d’Origny (1970) – SOLD

**Grand Tenue** Hermes scarf by Henri d’Origny (1990). Here is a very Special Edition for the Groupe Societe Suisse from 1998 – SOLD

**Eperon d’Or** Hermes scarf by Henri d’Origny (1974) – SOLD

**Projets Carres** Hermes silk scarf by Henri d’Origny was issued in 2007 more on this particular design can be found in this earlier post here

But now back to his L’Instruction du Roy carre, which takes its inspiration from a book written by Antoine de Pluvinel, titled L’instruction Du Roy: En L’exercice De Monter a Cheval, Royal Instruction: In The Exercise Of Riding A Horse.

Almost four hundred years later, Pluvinel’s work is still considered one of the most important books ever written about the art of horsemanship.

**Antoine de Pluvinel** (1552-1620) was the first French riding master, who had great influence on modern dressage and is perhaps best known for his kind, humane training methods. He was the *principal esquire*, tutor to King Louis XIII

Many of Henri d’Origny’s designs have equestrian elements in them, and perhaps it is their repetitive, geometric symmetry that makes them both exquisite and timeless and therefore True HERMES Classics!

Some of Henri d’Origny’s pieces currently available at Carre de Paris can be enjoyed here.