Newsletter
Editorial
A Different Kind of Luxury
Henri Eva Magazine brings me a sense of fulfillment. I hope each edition will offer you the same.
For years I worked at the luxury store Ogilvy. What stayed with me most was the glint in a woman’s eyes as she left the store — the sense that she had done something for herself. She had not simply bought another product, but a piece of elegance, whether a handbag, a perfume, or a dress. That memory is one reason this newsletter exists.
Henri Eva Magazine helps professional women cut through the clutter and noise of the fashion world. We look for pieces that feel considered rather than excessive, chosen within a sensible range so that Everyday Luxury remains attainable. In Our Selection, we present a small number of products around a clear theme. These choices are entirely independent; nothing appears here unless it would genuinely suit the women closest to me.
This is a biweekly newsletter of thoughts, recommendations, and stories. Alongside Our Selection, you will find two recurring segments: Inside Business, which explores aspects of the luxury industry, and Inside History, which tells the story behind a particular piece.
Our purpose is simply to offer professional women a different experience — one grounded in clarity, independence, and enduring style.
I hope you enjoy these pages and occasionally discover something worth adding to your own Everyday Luxury.
HMN
Editor
The Most Famous Square of Silk: The Hermès Carré
Most luxury products announce themselves with spectacle. The Hermès carré has never needed to. For nearly ninety years, this ninety-centimetre square of printed silk has served as a scarf, belt, bag accent, and an emblem of considered taste.
Born from a saddlery
Hermès began in 1837 as a maker of bridles and harnesses, far removed from fashion. The first silk scarf appeared a century later, in 1937, to commemorate the house’s centennial. Robert Dumas, son-in-law of Émile-Maurice Hermès, established a silk workshop in Lyon that same year. curatedition
The inaugural design, Jeux des Omnibus et Dames Blanches, drew on a popular nineteenth-century parlour game and, curiously, on the male fashion for neckerchiefs. A masculine accessory quietly became one of the most recognisable symbols of feminine elegance. The Napoleon scarf by Hermès +2
Artists and an expanding archive
From the start, Hermès treated the scarf as a canvas. In 1947, Robert Dumas invited the illustrator Philippe Ledoux to design for the house; Ledoux’s work, including the celebrated 1963 Napoleon scarf, helped shape a visual language that ranged from horses and carriages to military history and beyond. Over the decades, the archive has grown to more than two thousand designs. Drape Yourself in Hermès: Rare Scarves at Heritage Auctions +2
The craft itself
What distinguishes the carré is the production. Silk, historically sourced from Brazil, is printed in Lyon in facilities still controlled by Hermès — one of the few luxury houses to retain ownership of its silk workshops. The company’s colour library contains more than 75,000 shades. Manila Bulletin - Explore Hermès’ whimsical silk universe through Carré Style +2
A cultural presence
The scarf’s status was confirmed by the women who wore it. Queen Elizabeth II, Grace Kelly, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis all made the carré part of their public image. One enduring story recalls Grace Kelly fashioning a Hermès scarf into a makeshift sling after a wasp sting — practical, elegant, and instantly iconic. analogshift lofficielusa
Still evolving
The carré continues to renew itself. The Spring/Summer 2026 collection introduced new Carré 90 designs, among them City of Light by Elias Kafouros and a double-sided scarf by Dimitri Rybaltchenko. sugarandcream scmedia
Beyond Hermès, the silk scarf has reappeared across the industry, from Chanel to Dries Van Noten, often styled with a sharper edge. scmp
Why it endures
The Hermès carré succeeds by refusing the usual traps of luxury. It sits at a relatively accessible point within the house’s universe, yet it is produced under exacting conditions that protect its integrity. Each season brings new artistic voices, while the fundamental object — a square of silk, precisely printed — stays constant. Trends move around it. Eventually, they return.
HMN
Our Selection
Parisian Chic
Arcina Ori Ellery off-shoulder dress (CAD $895)
The Dress
Arcina Ori’s Ellery off-shoulder dress in black is a sculpted, body-contouring maxi with a flattering V-neckline that sits elegantly off the shoulders, a sleeveless design, rear zip fastening, and a central vent for ease of movement. Crafted from a stretch fabric that holds a clean, column silhouette, it offers timeless French-inspired glamour—streamlined yet romantic. Perfect for evening events, dinners, or elevated city days when paired with minimal accessories and heels.
https://www.farfetch.com/ca/shopping/women/arcina-ori-ellery-off-shoulder-dress-item-36719023.aspx
Jacquemus large Bambino tote bag (approx. CAD $1,237).
The Handbag
Jacquemus’s large Bambino tote in black calf leather delivers modern Parisian cool with its structured foldover top, magnetic fastening, single top handle, and detachable shoulder strap, finished with discreet gold-tone logo lettering. Spacious enough for daily essentials yet refined in proportion, it balances practicality and quiet luxury—perfect for carrying through a day in the Marais or an evening out, embodying the brand’s signature effortless French style.
Professional Elegance
Brunello Cucinelli scarf (women’s, often ~$850–$1,200 CA
Scarf
The Brunello Cucinelli cacao leaves print silk foulard is a refined 100% silk pongee accessory featuring a nature-inspired leaf motif in soft neutrals with a fluid, semi-glossy drape. Measuring approximately 131 × 25 cm, it ties elegantly at the neck or as a polished accent, adding quiet sophistication to tailored blazers, silk blouses, or coats—ideal for the professional elegance expected by women aged 35–55.
Nasomatto Absinth typically ~$150–$250 CAD
Perfume
Nasomatto Absinth extrait de parfum is a concentrated, long-lasting unisex-leaning yet women-suited scent with green, woody, earthy, and herbal notes (wormwood, vetiver, spices). Its refined intensity and niche character deliver confident, memorable elegance ideal for professional settings, projecting quiet sophistication rather than overpowering sweetness.
https://www.farfetch.com/gr/shopping/women/nasomatto-absinth-extrait-de-parfum-item-37686449.aspx
Thanks for reading!