Hermes A propos de Bottes Forever Scarf 90 100% Silk H001371S 01

Boots are the most personal item in a rider’s kit. They record how you sit, how you walk, whether you actually spend time in the saddle. A propos de Bottes, from a drawing by Xavier de Poret, takes the subject literally and with affection: a composition of riding boots, centuries of them, in fine line and quiet colour.

Winter is its season. Twisted once around the neck and tucked into a coat, only the cuffs of the drawing show, like a glimpse into a tack room; worn open over the shoulders on a train, the full roster of boots unrolls and gives you something to look at through a long journey. Silk twill’s firmness is what makes the double life possible, since the folds stay crisp and the print stays sharp. The boots are drawn from the side, which is the only angle that matters with a boot.

You are getting the standard ninety: 34.8 inches square, 100% silk, hand-rolled edges, made in France. A hand-rolled hem means the measurements can wobble by a millimetre or two per scarf; it is the finish, not a defect.

An honest note on character: a scarf this literal about its theme is a conversation piece, and conversation pieces divide rooms. If you want a scarf that reads as abstract pattern from ten paces, this is not it. If you want a scarf that starts conversations about horses, it works every time, and it is an unusually durable conversation to own, because the theme never casts judgement on the room.