Hermès is a French luxury manufacturer founded and named after Thierry Hermès. The company has a long history, beginning in their roots serving noblemen from 1837 by creating harnesses and bridles for the carriage trade. Winning awards and branching out to the elites in a worldwide market, Hermès had made a highly respected name for itself. The company were given exclusive rights to the use of the zip, developing the first leather jacket with a zipper in 1918, made for Edward, Prince of Wales. Prosperity continued with Thierry Hermès’ sons running the company and developing accessories and clothing throughout the 1920’s. Émile-Maurice, one of the sons, designed and created the first Hermès handbag in 1922, after his wife could not find one she liked. The 1930’s saw the production of some of Hermès’ most time-honoured and iconic pieces, such as the ‘Sac à dépêches’– which later became known as the ‘Kelly bag’ after Grace Kelly was seen carrying it- and the Hermès silk scarves. Perfumes, silk ties and watches joined the expanding offerings of Hermès throughout the 1930’s.
Today, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, descendant of the founder, is Creative Director, continuing the family-run principles of Hermès. LVMH holds shares in the company, but the family remain the top shareholders in Hermès.
The success of Hermès is reflected by the prestige that surrounds the brand. Their luxury goods now span leather, menswear, womenswear, scarves, perfume, watches, homeware and jewellery. Embracing tradition and the heritage of Hermès, the brand rejects mass consumption, meaning that the vast majority of their products are handmade in France. It is claimed that one person creates the product from start to finish, allowing for the highest quality and most individual outcomes. Hermès scarves are decorated with print patterns which take years to develop. They are made out of silk from mulberry moth cocoons and the hems are then hand stitched. Cult classic bags such as the ‘Birkin’, named after Jane Birkin, are iconic and esteemed, with a wait of six months to a year expected for one of these famed bags. The materials, processes and elegant designs have meant that the brand has connoted luxury for decades. Wrapped in decadence, the name Hermès assumes quality, exceptional craftsmanship, and exclusivity.
On top of their large range of luxury goods, Hermès collaborated with Apple Inc. in 2015 to create the Apple Watch Hermès, which paired Hermès’ specially crafted watch bands with the Apple Watch, forming a refined look to a modern essential.
Hermès has hundreds of stores in many cities worldwide. They also have an online store, and can be purchased through Harrods too.