Hermès – From saddle production to a billion-dollar business!
Hermès – The French family business originally did business in saddlery and upmarket leather processing. The company was founded in 1837 by Thierry Hermès. He was born in Krefeld, Germany and moved to France after the divorce of his parents. In the same year he opened his first shop with high quality horse harness and bridle, which is still sold today. In the 1890s his son Charles-Émile Hermès expanded the range and had suitcases and leather bags produced in the high-priced range. Mainly due to the fact that the railway and the introduction of cars replaced more and more horse carriages and the sole business with saddles and bridles was no longer profitable.
From the beginning, the story of Hermès
If you are interested in the origins and the creation of high quality saddles and bridles, watch this video and find out more about the unique design and rare craftsmanship!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkCJUl4WtDU
After some time, the shop moved to the elegant Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré No. 24 in Paris to escape the years of renovation work on the previous street. At first they only owned the shop on the ground floor until Charles-Émile Hermès son, Émile Maurice Hermès, bought the whole building in the noble shopping street. Handbags were manufactured only starting from the 1920s, were particularly popular with the noble ladies, because they were unique and qualitatively high-quality processed.
Packaging & Logo
Precisely for this reason, the excellent craftsmanship, the luxurious materials and the long durability of the products these became known within a very short time. At the beginning of the 1950s, the well-known orange packaging and logo were introduced. This shows a picture of a passenger driving a horse-drawn carriage alone.
Perfume story & Hermès on the stock exchange
In 1915 the first perfume was created, called “Eau d´Hermès”, which was very well received by customers, both then and now. As the fragrance business grew, the perfume business was transferred to a subsidiary in 1961. The company continued to grow and the entire product range became more and more varied. In 1993, the Hermès family decided to float the company on the Paris Stock Exchange, out of fear of loss and appreciation for their craftsmanship, but kept 80% of the company.
Birkin Bag & Kelly Bag
The creation of the men’s travel bag for the version for ladies, came in the 1930s from Robert Dumas and bore the name “Petit Sac Haut à Courroies”. After Princess Gracia Patricia of Monaco, also called Grace Kelly, carried the bag in 1956, it was called “Kelly Bag” and is one of the most coveted models of the French company. A stay on the plane together ensured that actress Jane Birkin and Hermès CEO Jean-Louis Dumas accidentally created the so-called “Birkin Bag” in 1968. One of the most popular models is also available from a price of around 5,800 euros. Both handbag versions are the best selling Hermès handbags and are available in different sizes, colours and materials.
In 1937 the company found a way to produce hand-printed silk scarves in Lyon, now over 1,000 versions are on sale and 12 are added each year. They are available from 155 euros in a wide variety of shops all over the world. For a few years now, the range has been supplemented by a Home Collection, which adorns every home with high-quality products.
A separate Prêt-à-Porter line for men has been in existence since 1976 and has been an integral part of the collections ever since. At the end of the 1980s, the luxury label also introduced women’s fashion. Designer Jean-Paul Gautier has been responsible for these since 2004. From 1999 to 2011 Hermès owned 45% of the shares in his own company. From 2011, the former Lacoste designer Christophe Lemaire took over the women’s line, which had been managed until then. He worked for the company until 2014 and then gave his place to the French designer Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski. She previously worked for Céline and Maison Martin Margiela and presented her first collection in March 2015, but continued to strongly orientate herself towards the origins of Hermès.
The company’s current profit still comes mainly from the sale of leather goods, which are however sold exclusively in Hermès boutiques, Hermès sales areas in upmarket stores, the company’s own online shop or authorised specialist shops. The international network of French-influenced boutiques is mainly managed from the company’s headquarters in the French capital, Paris.
Handbags, Birkin & Kelly Bag
Of course, the “Birkin Bag” and “Kelly Bag” bags are absolutely unbeatable in terms of sales, but Hermès also produces other models and small leather goods. The luxury label creates popular products with its high-quality materials! Not only ladies find what they are looking for in bags, the style-conscious man can also purchase briefcases and co.
Hermès even has its own repair service that repairs and repairs used bag models in Hong Kong. She changes handles there and makes traces of use of any kind disappear! In the end, most bags look almost like new, real artists are at work there. You are interested, then just click here and watch the video in full length!
Belt for women & men
An absolute classic, the Hermès belt with an H as buckle. This is available in gold and silver and you can vary with the colored leather straps. A simple, yet striking belt that suits both men and women. Easily integrated into everyday life, it looks elegant and stylish with a simple jeans look and also with a chic station wagon!
Shoes, the absolute Hermès classics
The absolute “Must Have summer shoes”, Hermès’ slippers, are also available year after year in the selected boutiques in simple and striking variations. Whether to the beach, or to the city stroll, super comfortable, they adapt to every foot and attract the glances on themselves. Not exactly cheap, but worth every cent, even the celebrities don’t like to do without the super high-quality leather shoes, on which the H is easy to recognize.
Elegant loafers also in fine leather and finest handwork are also available for the gentleman and are produced in the French workshops.
Accessories, from tie to bracelet
Noble models made of silk decorate the male neck! This collection features small sharks and stylish anchor motifs for a maritime look in vibrant colours such as orange, red and green. Also different shades of blue.
Bangle and other pieces of jewellery look great especially in summer and refine every outfit. Especially for delicate wrists, the classic bracelets with great patterns, or elegant color combinations are super beautiful. Here, too, the classic H adorns many models and silver or gold hardwear enhances the cool pieces.
Video: Silk scarves paint
The painting of the silk scarves is a real art of craftsmanship, which builds on many years of tradition! Interesting patterns and the Japanese touch result in a unique combination that is always a challenge and demands the artist’s full concentration!
Here a small video, in which the artistic handicraft is shown in few minutes!
Perfume – light fragrances with a great effect
Since 1951 the first men’s fragrance “Eau d´Hermès ” was released followed 10 years later, in 1961 for the first time a fragrance that enveloped the lady. The high-priced perfumes are mostly rather fresh and have a pleasant effect! If you would like to know more about the individual fragrances and where you can buy them, just have a look at the online shop, or at dealers like Douglas etc.!
Home Collection – chic also at home
For a few years now, Hermès Home Collection items have also been popular with customers from all over the world. They can also be purchased in the online shop. Cashmere and merino wool blankets are particularly popular, but ashtrays, crockery and bed linen also sell well! Made from the finest materials, they are super high quality. Bathroom accessories such as towels and shower gels will complete your Hermès experience!
Campaigns
Twilly d´Hermès
The playful lightness is clearly noticeable in the campaign for the fragrance “Twilly d´Hermès”. It embodies the feeling after it has been applied. The young, self-confident wearer wraps herself in a mixture of the self-confident spiciness of ginger and the sweet note of tuberose.
Hauls and Vlogs
Video: Hermès unboxing
Here the German blogger Xenia Adonts shows you her new Birkin Bag from Hermès, which she chose in a colorful nuance. If you want to know how she got the expensive luxury bag and what it can do, just watch the video in full length here!
Video: Designer collection Chanel, Hermès, Chloe
Luxury lover and blogger Valeria Lipovetsky shows you her collection of designer handbags, from Chanel to Hermès! What can these sinfully expensive handbags do and how to integrate them into your everyday life and spice up simple outfits and make them quickly and easily an absolute eye-catcher!
Video: Hermès Birkin vs. Kelly Bag
You’ve always wondered what, apart from the name, distinguishes the two most popular Hermès sales models? Blogger Chouquette alias Claire Chanelle explains the differences and which of the two models she prefers! If you are interested in such videos, then their YouTube Channel is just the thing for you, just drop by, let yourself be inspired and learn more about the popular designer articles!
