As one of Europe’s most illustrious design houses, Hermès boasts a rich history that spans back to 19th-century France. In this second instalment in our Eye of the Beholder series, we explore Hermès’ brand origin, taking you from its humble beginnings in Paris to its exclusive luxury collections and car collaborations.
How to pronounce Hermès, like a boss
Eager to discuss Hermès with fellow fashionistas? It’s advisable to correctly pronounce the brand’s name. The way to nail it is ‘air-mezz’, dropping the ‘h’ and stressing the second syllable.
What is the Hermès brand known for?
With pronunciation nailed, let’s explore why Hermès is a brand that stands tall among other legendary European designers such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and Pininfarina.
The French luxury design house is one of the country’s most prestigious, best known for its quality craftsmanship and use of luxury materials. Originally established to create carriage harnesses, Hermès today crafts a plethora of products, from off-the-peg garments and accessories — including the famous Carré scarf — to household furnishings and perfumes.
Yet the brand is perhaps best known for its luggage and handbags, having produced fashion icons such as the Birkin and Kelly bags. These all arrive in the famous Hermès signature orange box, which is a prestigious luxury item in itself.
Image: hermes.com
A quick tour of Hermès’ brand history
Hermès was established in 1837, when German-born Thierry Hermès opened a harness workshop in Paris, after moving to France as an orphan at the age of 20. A gifted leather worker with a reputation for superior stitching, Thierry’s focus was on creating high-quality harnesses for the carriage trade, specifically catering to European nobility.
Here are some of the brand’s key milestones over the past 180+ years:
1837: After moving to France from Germany, Thierry Hermès opens a harness workshop in the Grands Boulevards quarter of Paris.
1855: Hermès wins awards for his leather work at the Expositions Universelles in Paris in 1855, then again in 1867.
1880: Hermès’ son Charles-Émile takes over from his father, moving the boutique to 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The flagship store is still there to this day.
1900: The Haut à courroies bag is introduced and becomes the first top-handle bag offered by Hermès. This functional bag is designed to carry a saddle and riding boots.
1923: With Charles-Émile’s son Émile-Maurice now in charge, the brand begins branching out. Hermès’ first leather handbag is introduced, followed by a venture into the American market in 1924.
1925: Hermès produces its first ready-to-wear garment for men: a golf jacket. Jewellery is later introduced in 1927, with watches and sandals following in 1928.
1935: The fashion world becomes familiar with some of Hermès’ most famous creations, including the Sac à dépêches; which would later be renamed the Kelly bag after American actress Grace Kelly is photographed holding it.
1950: The Hermès perfume division is established.
1967: Another of Hermès’ timeless bags, Constance, is released. It is named after the designer Catherine Chaillet’s daughter.
1978: Jean-Louis Dumas becomes head of the firm and the Paris flagship store is expanded after Hermès purchases the building next door to the original shop.
1984: Hermès releases the Birkin bag, which quickly becomes a cultural icon.
1993: Hermès goes public on the Paris Bourse stock exchange.
2003: Legendary designer Jean Paul Gaultier takes over as creative director of Hermès.
2007: The Paris flagship store at rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré is once again expanded.
2012: Axel Dumas becomes CEO of Hermès, a position he holds to this day.
2018: Hermès opens its largest store to date, a multi-story shop at the gigantic Dubai Mall.
How did the iconic Birkin bag come to be?
While the exact details have been lost to time, the story goes that, in 1983, the then-head of Hermès, Jean-Louis Dumas, was seated next to British-born actress Jane Birkin on a late-night flight from Paris to London.
After accidentally spilling the contents of her handbag on the plane, the actress explained to the Hermès boss about her desire for a large leather weekend bag that allowed her to hold everything she needed as a busy young mother.
So, on an aeroplane sickness bag, Dumas quickly sketched a spacious rectangular holdall, to which Birkin approved. By 1984, the Birkin bag had been released. It remains one of the most desired and exclusive bags on the planet, and today it is available in multiple sizes.
Image: Chi Lok TSANG via Unsplash
Fun facts about Hermès
- The iconic Hermès orange boxes were originally cream-coloured faux pigskin, but were changed to orange after the Second World War, due to a shortage of the original materials.
- In 2011, Jane Birkin sold her original Birkin bag via an eBay auction to raise funds for earthquake relief efforts in Japan. The bag was sold for an astounding $162,000 (£119,000).
- A 2016 study conducted by an online handbag marketplace concluded that a Hermès Birkin bag was a better long-term investment option than gold.
- It is said to take a single artisan craftsperson up to 40 hours to produce a Birkin bag. Each craftsperson must train for a minimum of five years before they may create a Birkin unsupervised.
- In 2001, Hermès became one of the first luxury brands to launch an e-commerce site.
- It is reported that 91% of Hermès sales are made outside of its native France.
- In 2017, Hermès sold one of the most expensive handbags ever — the white Himalaya Birkin, made with crocodile skin, solid 18K gold hardware, and 240 diamonds. It sold for a reported total of $379,261 to a buyer in Hong Kong.
- Celebrities such as Jamie Chua, Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian have all enjoyed a Hermès bag or two, while Victoria Beckham is rumoured to have a collection of Birkin bags worth over two million dollars.
What are some of Hermès’ car collaborations?
With a penchant for stunning supercars and world-class design, it may be no surprise to learn of our interest in Hermès edition cars. This is exclusivity on another level.
Image: supercars.net
Hermès and Bugatti
France is synonymous with luxury: it’s the home of Champagne, the legendary Michelin Guide, and the ultra-luxe car marque Bugatti. In 2019, Hermès teamed up with Bugatti to build a one-of-one model for California-based car collector Manny Khoshbin. The result was the Hermès Edition Bugatti Chiron.
With a colossal 8.0-litre, 16-cylinder engine, this already exclusive car was upgraded with a Hermès Craie chalk white paint job, bespoke front horseshoe grille, specially designed cashmere fabric on the door panels, and unique badges across the car.
This came 10 years after the first collaboration between the two brands that produced the 2008 Bugatti Veyron Fbg par Hermès, which was limited to just four units. Along with bespoke paintwork and a horseshoe radiator grille, Hermès designed elements such as the door handles and seats from scratch.
Image: architecturaldigest.com
Hermès and McLaren
Not content with his custom Hermès Bugatti, in 2021, Mr Khoshbin purchased one of just 106 Speedtails — McLaren’s flagship hypercar — and sent it to Hermès for some magic touches. The design house customised the door and engine covers, added aerodynamic front-wheel covers, and then set to work kitting out the inside, from seats to steering wheel, in creamy white Hermès handbag leather.
Image: Oli Tennent
Hermès and Rolls Royce
In 2021, another Hermès car collaboration graced the automotive world, when the brand teamed up with Rolls Royce to design a one-of-a-kind Phantom Oribe for Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. The dark green and cream colour scheme was apparently inspired by rare ancient Japanese Oribe ceramics, and the car is said to perfectly harmonise with its owner’s private aircraft. The design houses had earlier collaborated in 2008 to produce another Hermès Rolls Royce: a bespoke Phantom for the Four Seasons George V hotel in Paris.
Image: Ultimate Driving Tours
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