Hermès is Finally Bringing its Beyond Cool Washing Machine Pop-Up to Texas

Would you dare put your beloved Hermès scarf in the washing machine? The mere thought gives carré collectors a fright. Hermès invites you to do just that in their clever pop-up shop Hermèsmatic.

Not just any washing machine, naturally. This is a special dip-dye washing technique that gives a worn scarf a new look.

Hermèsmatic, after traveling the world over, is finally making its debut in Texas. The pop-up store, located at 1512 South Congress Avenue in Austin, will be open Friday, March 9 through Sunday, March 18 from 10 am until 7 pm — right during the height of South by Southwest.

Inherited a scarf from your grandmother that has never quite been your colorway? Time for a spin in the wash. Customers may select denim blue, fuchsia pink or intense violet for this complimentary service.

Don’t have a vintage scarf to dye or don’t want to change the color of your scarves? The pop-up shop stocks vintage Hermès scarves to dip dye. In addition, one-of-a-kind scarves from the vintage dip dye collection are available for purchase (a safe bet for the risk-averse).

A Colorful History

The first Hermès silk scarf — or carré — “Jeu des omnibus et des dames blanches” was commissioned by Robert Dumas (a member of the fourth generation) in 1937. The design was inspired by a board game in the personal collection of Émile Hermès. The colorful printed silk was a nod to the brand’s rich equestrian heritage (jockeys had taken to wearing colorful silk shirts in lieu of heavy riding jackets).

“From the beginning, the Hermès carré was imagined as an object, and not as an accessory,” artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas says. “It is an object perfectly composed and autonomous, which can suffice on its own.”