I know that Hermès is most associated with scarves and handbags, but they also have a long tradition of sportswear.  The ad above is from 1930.  On rare occasion these 30s pieces come up for sale, and they always go way out of this retired teacher's price range.  But I can always hope!

I was pleased to see this tradition continued in the spring 2010 Hermès collection.  Designer John Paul Gaultier showed a lot of vintage inspiration with this grouping of white pleated skirts, long, lean sweaters, and 1920s style headbands.  See the entire collection at New York Magazine.

 I love designers like Gaultier and Lagerfeld who design a line with a nod to the original vibe.  Even though Coco herself would never have designed some of the Lagerfeld interpretations, he always seems to capture the essence of what Chanel was all about.  Year after year, you can see the new collections, and immediately know the Chanel pieces.  And at the same time, they remain  fashionable and desirable.

Compare that to some of the other lines that carry on the name of a long-gone designer.  What you usually end up seeing is just a modern look with no inkling of the original look behind the name.  Perhaps that is because not every designer - even the great ones like Balmain and Dior - had a true and lasting vision of how a woman should dress.  Both Chanel and Hermès established a firm look that was associated with the name of the business.

 

Photos copyright New York Magazine

Lovely work by Gaultier for Hermes...those outfits look new--and old--in all the right ways. I love the dignified colors! I want the SHOES SO MUCH!!

awesome work by JPG.