Graff Collection

An unlikely match at first thought, the exuberant scarves born of the collaboration between suburban Paris graffiti artist Kongo and the venerable French label Hermès are a stunning success. Though one of France’s oldest luxury brands, Hermès is no stick in the mud—the leather goods and couture house has shown a remarkable flair for channeling the fashion tides to keep the silk scarf a wardrobe staple for multiple generations of women. The explosive Autumn/Winter 2011/2012 Graff Collection’s graffiti-splashed scarves are likely to become yet another hit in a long line of collectibles.

As founder of the artists’ collective Kosmopolis and cofounder of the International Graffiti Festival, Kongo’s stated objectives might easily reflect those of Hermès: “to transcend borders, provide opportunity, beautify the streets”. Hermès is lending its support to the Kosmo Art tour project, in which established artists will visit cities in eight countries to meet with young talent and collaborate on creating a unique tableau in each city. The tour will be filmed, finally ending in a multimedia exhibition.

Hermès, 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 8th, 01.40.17.47.17

Originally published in the October 2011 issue of France Today