Hermès
(active since 1837)
Hermès International S.A., often referred to as simply Hermès, is a legendary French maison and a manufacturer of luxury goods. Founded in 1837 as a workshop for manufacturing equipment for carriages and horse riding, the company soon changed its specialization, yet kept the main material, leather. As time went by, Hermès gradually expanded its range, starting to produce perfumes, clothing and various accessories, as well as ready-to-wear pieces.
The Maison, which appeared on the map of artisan Paris in 1837 thanks to the manufacture of a horse harness and related accessories, now produces not only luxury bags of leather of excellent workmanship, but also clothes, simple at first glance, yet exquisitely elegant, and much more. The brand has also developed a special home series, represented by a line of products made of fine porcelain, glass, cutlery and furniture. Home furnishings are regularly presented in Milan at the main furniture exhibition, Salone dei Mobile. In the same place, finishing materials by the iconic maker are shown, such as the H module, developed several years ago for Hermès by the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. With the help of such modules, one can artistically pave all walls instead of wallpaper or paint, choosing from hundreds of possible materials, including leather, linen, cotton, silk, textures, ornaments. Hermes traditionally presents its services in Paris during the "Maison et Objet" exhibition.
In their incessant search for ideal objects, without which the maison Hermes is inconceivable, the designers of the brand pay special attention to the study - the impeccable working space. The permanent collection of the brand contains many notebooks and organizers, placed in leather bindings. One of the most recent and legendary pen designs was created in collaboration with industrial designer Mark Newson, named Nautilus. This is the Maison’s first iconic pen, to the creation of which a world-class artisan was involved: Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the creative director of the house, began the first negotiations with Newson back in 2009. Now the already-legendary pen is available in both ball and feather versions.
The prosperous manufacturer is also renowned for its unique items that the company’s best craftsmen create. One of such items from the Les Necessaires d'Hermes collection is a compact mobile bureau that can be used as a temporary workplace, for example, in a country house. It is made of walnut, steel, and leather, processed in the brand’s factories, as well as fabrics from the Hermes textile collection.
Hermès is known to have collaborated with many prominent makers and manufacturers from different fields. For instance, Hermès hired Swiss Watchmaker Universal Genève as the brand's first and exclusive timepiece designer in the mid-1930s. Just as famous as Rolex, Patek Philippe and Audemars Pigeut, Universal Genève happened to make many breakthroughs in the world of horology, including the invention of first-ever chronographic wristwatch in 1917.
Known for its luxury goods, nowadays the iconic manufacturer Hermès produces and sells circa 14 types of premium goods, such as leather, scarves, ties, men’s and women’s clothing, perfumes, watches, stationery, shoes, gloves, objects of vertu, tableware and jewelry. The brand has long become a favorite among noble customers. Splendid pieces by Hermès have been noticed on Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret Rose, Princess Grace Kelly, Jacqueline Lee Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. Together with Louis Vuitton, Dior and Chanel, the company is truly considered one of the most influential French manufacturers in the world.