Who designed Hermès’s famous Brides de Gala scarf in 1957?

Hugo Grygkar designed Hermès’s famous Brides de Gala scarf in 1957.

Brides de Gala depicts ornate horse bridles and harness equipment, directly reflecting Hermès’s origins as a maker of equestrian goods. The design became one of the house’s most recognizable silk carré patterns and has been issued in numerous colorways over the decades.

Grygkar was an important early artist for Hermès scarves. His work helped establish the detailed, illustrative style that became central to the company’s silk business. The scarf is sometimes confused with Jeu des Omnibus et Dames Blanches, the first Hermès silk scarf design, created in 1937 by Robert Dumas and illustrated by Alfred de Dreux.

Brides de Gala’s subject is not merely decorative: bridles, reins, and ceremonial tack connect the image to the company’s nineteenth-century saddle-making heritage. That relationship between equestrian imagery and luxury fashion remains a defining feature of Hermès design.