^{Last Update 21. August 2025}

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Let’s then start with definitions of what these terms mean and imply:

SPECIAL ISSUE

A Special Issue is an original design that Hermès issued for either advertising or commemorative purposes.

Some examples include:

France – Designed by Christiane Vauzelles for the maiden voyage of the iconic ocean liner, France, on February 3rd 1962. Sold exclusively on board of the ship.

Le Grand Prix de Polo de Bagatelle (photo see above) – Designed by Jean-Louis Clerc in 1955 (never re-issued), The Polo de Bagatelle is the only Parisian polo club located in the Bois de Boulogne park.

Les Jonquilles (daffodils) – Designed by Philippe Ledoux and issued in 1999 to celebrate Piaget’s 125 anniversary

Madison Avenue – Designed by Kermit Oliver in 2000 to commemorate the 10 year anniversary of the opening of the Hermes Madison Avenue boutique in New York

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LIMITED EDITION

A Limited Edition design will typically have a refence to a specific event, for example the store opening Brides de Gala gavroches that Hermès published to celebrate the opening of a new Hermès boutique and given as a gift to patrons.

Some examples include:

Cheval Fleuri (Neiman Marcus) – Designed by Henri d’Origny in 1962, reissued for Neiman Marcus in 2007 to commemorate their 100 year anniversary (1907-2007)

Chevaux Arabes (Haras de Sa Majeste le Roi – Hassan II Bouznika) – Designed by Hugo Grygkar in 1951 and specially issued in 1994 to celebrate the inauguration of the Royal Stud Farm, the World Famous Stud Farm in Morocco.

Envol – Designed by Joachim Metz in 1995 for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations. This design was issued as a “regular” scarf a year later and lacks the special UN tribute in the banner.

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GRAIL

Not an “official” title or category, but more of a collectively recognized level of desirability and/or rarity. It is true that by the very own definition, a Special Issue and/or a Limited Edition might be a GRAIL scarf, neither, however, is necessarily a prerequisite.

This for example, is the case with both the (Les) Toits de Paris issues designed by father and son. Both scarves are considered GRAIL designs; the early one for its extreme rarity and the more current one for being highly coveted and a much-loved design.

Please keep in mind that this category is rather subjective.

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It should also be noted that many times a Special Issue will also be a Limited Edition in that only a certain number of scarves were produced making that particular issue/design especially sought after among collectors.

The perfect example is the Marquis de Lafayette Hermès carré by Kermit Oliver. It is a 2007 Special Issue commemorating the Marquis’ 250th birthday and was available in various colorways. However, a Limited Edition of 375 scarves, which featured a red border, was issued and sold exclusively through Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. The exclusivity and limited number of this issue has elevated this design to GRAIL status among collectors.

[Link to the first Blog of a Series on this Design with links to subsequent blogs in the series]

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Another such example is the Musee Schlumpf (Tuef-Teuf) designed by Philippe Ledoux in 1971 as it is both a Limited Edition and a Special Issue given that only 1,475 scarves were issued in total. There were eleven colorways available. Also considered by many a GRAIL carré.

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Other notable and exceptional designs that the French fashion house has added in recent years such as the double face Pani La Shar Pawnee (Double-face) for example and the Dip Dey versions that were introduced in 2009 should also be mentioned.

In closing, I would also like to say that labels such as rare, limited and special have at times been used perhaps mistakenly, and I am as “guilty” of that as anyone. This is many times simply due to either my lack of information available at the time or personal exuberance I “feel” for a particular design. So I must apologize … I cannot deny that I do have my favorites!

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I would like to make a special note and express my profound gratitude for the incredible work of Genevieve Fontan, the author of the indispensable Carrés d’Art collection, who has enriched us with her vast knowledge and expertise! Merci beaucoup!

I thank you for reading my post as I hope it has provided more clarity on this subject matter.

Please feel free to comment should you wish to add to my ongoing learning and work in progress …

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In closing, here are photos of several other designs that are worth pointing out …

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and without the special inscription below

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Hugo Grygkar, the Father of the Carré Hermès

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The Artist known in the Hermès Community simply as Rybal.

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Beyond the Border: An Exclusive Look Inside the Marquis de Lafayette Hermès Carré Project

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