Hermès:
IN THE MAKING

In the beginning, there were two silkworm moths. Hundreds of cocoons. Miles of thread. And one simple accessory that would become synonymous with effortless elegance: le carré.

As told by Hermès, the story surrounding the creation of its legendary silk scarves is not unlike a foundational myth—the start of an epic love story built around a fiber so noble it once caused wars and gave its name to history’s most famous trade route. Indeed, although the French luxury house was originally founded as a harness workshop in 1837, its iconic 35.5-inch square silk scarves have been at the heart of its business for nearly a century.

Hermès’ own silk route currently starts in Brazil, in the region of Paraná, where a community of third-generation silkworm farmers are based. Once the cocoo...