Stand Speak Rise Up! (SSRU) was founded in 2019. It raises awareness on the use of sexual assault as a weapon and funds workshops on an international level to help see, hear and support the victims of wartime rape.

To support the NGO, Hermès’ Luxembourg branch from mid-October will sell a scarf titled La Selle imaginaire. “Proceeds from the sale of the Imaginary Saddle [scarf] designed by Jan Bajtlik […] will be donated in full to Stand Speak Rise Up! to continue the fight against these crimes and to work on behalf of women survivors,” the company stated. 150 so-called carrés will be available for purchase, exclusively in the Luxembourg shop.

“As an instrument of conquest and domination, rape is a tool of war used to destroy lives. But it remains a crime that often goes unpunished, and the victims are rarely heard,” Hermès said in a press release on 30 August. To show their support to the victims of war, the Graas family, who runs the Luxembourg shop, this year decided to work with SSRU.

The grand duchess, who on 15 October will host a fundraiser with philanthropes, survivors and international actors , commented on the collaboration, saying: “I am grateful to the Graas family for generously choosing my association to adapt their scarf this year. The scarf is beautiful and we are lucky to be able to present it exclusively at the auction held in Biarritz during our event."

Hermès in the past has collaborated with other local organisations, like the children’s cancer foundation Kriibskrank Kanner or the Luxembourg Red Cross, on similar projects.