Hermès Silk Cardigan Cream Open-Knit 1990s Size 44

Yasmine is in Zamalek for a gallery opening, the kind where the art costs more than the invitation implies and nobody speaks above a murmur. She wears the cardigan open over a silk slip and wide-leg trousers, the cream against her skin in the room's low light. Someone asks if it is vintage Hermès. She says yes. The conversation ends and starts again differently.

Hermès entered ready-to-wear gradually, treating it as an extension of the leather atelier's standard rather than a separate category. In the 1990s, the house produced small-run knitwear in silk and cashmere blends under the same Paris label as the bags and scarves. Open-knit silk construction of this quality is the technical argument: the yarn is spun fine, the open structure is dimensionally stable, and the piece holds its silhouette across decades. The pre-loved Hermès Cairo market concentrates on leather goods and scarves, which means 1990s ready-to-wear pieces in this condition tier surface at a fraction of what they command on international platforms like Vestiaire Collective.

Q: How does 1990s Hermès ready-to-wear differ from current production?
A: The 1990s pieces were made in smaller runs under the same Paris label as the leather goods, with construction overseen within the house rather than licensed to external manufacturers. The open-knit silk cardigans from this era used a finer silk yarn count than contemporary production, which is why the drape feels different in the hand. The label reads Hermès Paris with a Made in France country-of-origin tag, which is the marker collectors check first on 1990s ready-to-wear.

Q: What does French size 44 translate to in international sizing?
A: French 44 corresponds to European 44, UK 16, or US 12 in standard women's sizing. As an open-front cardigan with a relaxed oversized silhouette, it fits comfortably from French 40 to 46, depending on preferred drape. Measured laid flat, the body width across the chest is approximately 58 cm and the length from shoulder to hem approximately 70 cm.

Q: How should you care for a vintage Hermès silk cardigan?
A: Hand-wash only in cool water with specialist silk detergent. Do not wring or twist. Press between clean towels and air-dry flat to preserve the open-knit structure. Alternatively, dry-clean using natural solvents with a specialist who works with fine silk knitwear. The silk on this piece has retained its drape and lustre after three decades, which confirms the quality of the original construction.

Hand-wash in cool water with specialist silk detergent, or dry-clean using natural solvents. Air-dry flat on a towel, never hang wet. Store folded rather than hung to prevent the open-knit from stretching under its own weight. Cedar sachets protect against moths. Keep away from jewellery with sharp edges that can catch on the open-knit loops.

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