Hermès

« Indigo » Act VI – Bogolanfini

Hermès Birkin 30 – Bleu Electrique

Yarn Embroidery by Jay Ahr

Model: Birkin

Size: 30cm

Condition: Pristine

Provenance: Tokyo, Japan

Composition: Yarn embroidery & Epsom leather

Hardware: Palladium plated

Other: Detachable clochette with encased

keys and padlock

Bespoke Silk Twilly

Indigo is both an ancient dye and colour. A naturally occuring pigment that has been cultivated since antiquity, with the earliest known cultivation being

4,000 BC in Peru. The dye is named after India which was the source during Roman times, and has been found in many diverse cultures all over the world, presenting a myriad of styles and inspirations for Jay Ahr’s designs. This particular design, has been inspired by the rich history of Bogolanfini dying method of Mali and Japanese ‘Sashiko’ stitching techniques. This bag is a vintage Hermès Birkin 25 Bleu Electrique, first produced in 2011. The Epsom stamped-grain lightweight leather gives a structured relaxed contour. Featuring round top handles and a fold-over top with twist-lock closure. Detailed with palladium hardware, it comes with a detachable clochette with two encased keys and a padlock.

Bogolanfini, also known as mudcloth, is a resist dye method that is most commonly created using fermented mud. The result is typically a textile in rich shades of amber or black with distinct white patterns. In a rare occasion, Bogolanfini is also dyed in a beautiful shade of blue with Indigo.

Originating from the Edo period as a technique to preserve garments, sashiko is a technique of stitching used to create patterns in dyed fabric. Au contraie to the West, the working class were forbidden from wearing bright tones, so indigo became the preferred color as the plant was easy to grow and affordable.

Indigo was a rare commodity that was similarly prized to tea, coffee and silk. Imported from India to the west, the dye is derived from Indigofera Tinctoria plant. The color was once exclusively worn by royalty and the affluent. Although there are other plants which contain blue pigments, none contain the level of the Indigofera.