Hermès collaborated with design blog designboom for an international graphic design competition.  The call-for-entries asked designers to develop patterns for the house’s super refined ties.  The first place tie design would be produced, and the prize is  €3,000 and royalties from its sales.

Royalties from Hermès!  Amazing.  Some Hermès products are so coveted that they have waiting lists for years, but a Hermès-branded check is even more out of reach than any Birkin or Kelly.

In first place is ‘Modern Leisure’ by French designer Heidi Mueller.  It’s a repeating pattern of headphones that looks abstract and geometric from afar in a jaunty, early 60s style.  No cool dad would go for an uptown brand like Hermès, so I think this design is pretty safe to wear, esp as a cool dad parody move.  Hermès is ripe for parody, and it’s managed by people smart enough to be in on the joke.

One of the 3rd place winners is a paperclip pattern.

Via designboom

Tags: accessories, Fashion/Design, graphic design, Hermès, ties