Designer Benoit Pierre Emery welcomed us to his studio for an insight into his universe and a glimpse at his incredible collection of vintage scarves.
The first thing we were stuck by was his affable nature, a mixture of courteous and empathetic. Then we were taken on a gradual journey of discovery into the universe of this designer, graphic artist and inventor. After spending time in his company, you realise that this is above all a ‘man of taste’ in the full sense of the word. Though unassuming, his instinctive quest for beauty seems to be a constant presence without ever being a concern.
Seeing and creating beauty was the very task entrusted to him by Maison Hermès when they appointed him Creative Director of Arts de la table a few years ago. A role that seems to have been made for him, and one which he has relished after previous positions in both the graphic design industry and scarf design. Because he has devoted most of his life to silk or, more precisely, to silk square scarves. He has always been fascinated by the relationship between graphic design and this precious fabric, its possibility for infinite iterations, its stylish nonchalance, how it behaves in the air and, in particular, its ability to bring images alive and to embellish those who wear it.
Indeed, he has created dozens of scarves both for himself and other brands, and he designs them for Hermès on a regular basis. He has also collected scarves for over 20 years – at times compulsively – and his collection today amounts to no fewer than 10,000 items. It is an exceptional collection in every respect: the sheer number of scarves, the time periods covered; the styles, techniques, functions (promotional, for instance), etc. It even consists of some historical items, including the famous ‘escape scarves’worn by Allied airmen in the Second World War during their missions and which depicted – in great detail –the road map of the area they were flying over to optimise their chances of returning to their side in the event of a crash. Like any good father, he seems to love them all equally. It’s worth pointing out that he chose every single scarf himself, with each one catching the specialist’s eye either because it made a statement – through a detail, approach, technique or symbol – or simply because he had a feeling about it.
He has understandably developed an encyclopaedic knowledge of eras, brands and techniques, and can discuss almost every single scarf in his collection, providing correct information for each one on demand.
The Steidl publishing house made a shrewd decision in giving Benoit Pierre the opportunity to publish a book that documents and details items from his collection. Although the book consists of two volumes, the collection is not shown in its entirety. This paves the way for a encyclopaedia on silk square scarves, the industry standard to some extent.
