If New York were a home, the Battery would be its foyer. As the site of the nation’s first immigrant receiving center (decades before Ellis Island was established and Lady Liberty raised her lantern nearby) and later the nexus of commerce, the neighborhood’s influence on the city’s cultural fabric extends far beyond the edges of its 25-acre, treelined carpet. That’s why, in a post 9/11 era, supporters like Hermès have rallied around the cause to bring the neighborhood back to life.
Just last week at the 22nd Annual Battery Gala, the conservancy honored the French fashion house for its efforts while celebrating the 10th anniversary of its outpost in the Financial District. In honor of the occasion, the brand debuted a new limited-edition silk twill scarf by Parisian artist and frequent collaborator Ugo Gattoni. Known for his vibrant, highly detailed works rendered in graphite and ink, the scarf (his third for the brand) depicts an aerial vista of the locale in contemporary times, embellished with surreal details such as a horse on a stand-up paddleboard, a human hand—pinky up—working as a crane, and waterslides flowing into the Hudson. Fêted for its early involvement in reinvigorating the area, Hermès makes it easy for New York fans to do their part, too: A portion of the proceeds from the 90 x 90 cm scarf ($395) goes toward benefitting the park that lies at Manhattan’s doorstep.
