Is is worth it...? : Through the nose
The Independent on Sunday
8 November 1998
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WHEN PERFECTLY good paper nosewipes exist for those autumn blow-and-throw moments, why invest in a designer hankerchief? After all, these little squares of cloth are one of life's oddities, combining the worst in both hygiene and fashion. Wher eis the market for germ storage with a label? To justify the expense of the 100 per cent cotton Hermes hankie, one would surely have to suffer a permanent designer cold. Or else, an obsession with lounge suits. Handy breast pockets for displaying that crisp hint of hankerchief are strangely absent on casual clothing.
Available in blue, yellow or white, the Hermes is touted as a "man's hankerchief", although at only 24 square inches of cloth, it's a disappointingly plain and compact slice of manliness. Historical dandies would despair at the lack of frills, btu then this is not a hankie for gesticulation. There's just not much to flourish, should you wish to, expect for perhaps the discreet, embroidered Hermes logo in the corner.
"The price of a hankerchief is determined less by design than by the skills used and the textile quality," says Martin Addleman of the Irish Linen Company, the thinking noseblower's choice for handkerchiefs. "It's about the integrity of the cloth, and a good handkerchief will always have a hand-rolled edge." The Hermes hankie passes the quality test with its authentically uneven stitching. However, eve the gentle roll of an edge cannot make the price authentic.
Fpr a more reasonable amount of money the Irish Linen Company can offer you the same craftsmanship. A more user-friendly and pratical investment for show or blow. But the practicality of the Hermes handkerchief is not really the point. It's a late 20th century nod to a 19th century fad for showing off with a statement hankie.
However, whie 19th century versions were radical, printed with satirical cartoons and political statements, the only statement here is disposable income versus disposable Kleenex.
If a statement is what you require, then why not plump for one from novelty hankie sellers, Magnificent Mouchoirs? For a mere fiver you too could blow your nose on the London Underground Map, something that would probably bring immense satisfaction to many commuters.
