Musings On Paradis du Roy

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"Paradis du Roy" was released in 1989, and was designed by Annie Faivre. It is a wonderful piece full of imagery that causes the eyes to wander. The design also contains Annie Faivre's famous monkey.

Here is the feature story taken from the Autum/Winter 1989/1990 booklet which featured this design:

"The monarch whom all the world called simply "The KIng" commanded an appropriately majestic dwelling- Versailles.
Here Louis XIV and his progeny ruled resplendently for a hundred years, from the glittering 1680s to the dawn of the
French Revolution. Kings enthroned in a gilded palace, parks peopled with statues of gods. The royal vegetable
garden, designed by Jean de la Quintine, is tended today by the National Horticulture School."



The design takes its inspiration from the Gardens at Versailles, quite possibly the most famous gardens in the world. Just as in the real garden the Bassin d’Apollon – the Apollo Fountain is the central focal point so it is within the design by Ms. Faivre.

Musings On The Royal Mews

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Located in the very heart of London are the royal stables, known today as the “Royal Mews”. The word “mews” is a derivative of an old French word “mue” (which is taken from the Latin “mutare, meaning to change). In this case it is the changing of plumage. For in the Middle Ages the king kept his falcons in a “mews” during their “mewing” or molt.

Prior to 1537, the royal stables were in Bloomsbury. However fire destroyed the Bloomsbury stables and the horses had to be moved. At this time the mews for the falcons was at Charing Cross. Needing quarters for the horses after the fire, the falcons were moved from their mews and the horses were then stabled there.

Buckingham House was purchased by George III in 1762, and later became Buckingham Palace. This gave the Monarchy the stables at Charing Cross and Buckingham Palace. In 1824 George IV had the stables and the coach houses at Buckingham Palace re-designed, and in 1825 this became the “Royal Mews”.

In 1855, Queen Victoria established at her own expense the “Royal Mews School” to provide education to the children of the servants belonging to the Royal Mews. The school remained for over 20 years.

Today all state vehicles are housed and maintained at the Royal Mews, thus it serves as an important working department within the Royal Household.

Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermes (President and fifth generation descendant of Hermes founder, Thierry Hermes) visited London in 1990. As part of his stay he visited the Royal Mews. Here he was inspired by the exquisite craftsmanship and beauty of the Royal coaches and the historical association with horses. He knew he was experiencing the perfect subject matter for an Hermes scarf.

He also knew that he had in mind the perfect artist for such a piece, his old friend and someone who had designed other scarves for Hermes, Colonel Jean de Fougerolle. Colonel de Fougerolle was beseeched to visit the Royal Mews himself. Once there he too was inspired by the rich possibilities for design offered by the setting.

Appropriately in 1993, during Hermes theme the “Year of the Horse”; Colonel Jean de Fougerolles rendition “The Royal Mews” scarf was released. And would remain The exclusive to Great Britain until the end of 1993.

The scarf’s design incorporates at its center depictions of the horses and carriages of the royal family, the Queen’s Equerry and Master of Horses are facing each other. The carriages depicted are: The Golden State Coach, The Irish State Coach, The Barouche, The 1902 State Landau, and queen Alexandra’s State Coach.

Hermes presented this scarf to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Windsor Horse Show, on May 13, 1993.
An interesting side note is that the site where Buckingham Palace now stands was originally a mulberry garden planted by King James I (r. 1603-25) to rear silkworms. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong kind of mulberry bush, and silk production never took off in Britain.

We can be forever thankful that this was not the case in France.

Musings On Madison Ave.

No this post is not what you think it is about...

It is another photo exploration this time of Kermit Oliver's design Madison Ave. released in limited release in 2000 to celebrate the opening of the Madison Ave. Hermes. There were much whispersings and groans throughout the world of people who know what an Hermes scarf is this past week due to the unforeseen coincidence that Hermes held their New York Sample Sale and it opened the very day that Washington began serious discussions on the "economic crisis". Collectors flock in droves to this sale, and nothing save an atomic bomb could probably stop them. But there are those who scrutinized, shook their heads and wagged their fingers in disbelief. A great quote from one collector is that they "...just don't get it..."

What's not to get is that it is about art and artistry. Stop for a moment and try to figure out a time or place where mankind stopped it's appreciation for art, or the use of art to explain his view of his world to another. I can't think of of one I have tried. There is much that has taken place in history itself that the only account we have of the event is due to the art of another.

Hermes is art.

One wonderful example is the Madison Ave. scarf. Kermit Oliver takes us on a journey that includes the fact that our existence here and now even on Madison Ave. is indelibly linked to those who were here before, be it the flora and fauna or our indigenous peoples. The native maiden sleeps and as she sleeps she dreams...

Madison Ave. Dreams