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Hermès, from saddles to bags and silk: the expansion of a dream   By Raquel Elena Hernandez Diaz Hermès the house of heritage As a fashion enthusiast, I have lately noticed that the fashion is industry is more than ever driven by spectacle, speed and social media. But among all that noise, there is one “Maison” that defies trends and what is “in”. And that is the legendary house of Hermès. To understand Hermès means understanding heritage, craftsmanship and the very soul of luxury.  Thierry Hermès, the visionaire that created a family Legacy Since 1837 The path of Hermès started in 1837, when Thierry Hermès, a harness maker, opened a small workshop in Paris. His specialty were handcrafted bridles and saddles. His excellency soon gained the admiration of Europe’s most prestigious aristocrats, as horses were the ultimate markers of power, wealth and refinement. Thierry was very meticulous in his work and he did not just make objects, but rather symbols of luxury for riders. His philosophy, very much the motto of the company still continues up to today: “make it beautiful, make it well and make it last”. Up to today, Hermès is still a family owned company, an extraordinary rarity in the world of luxury, where acquisitions and takeovers are common. By the early 20th century, Hermès began transforming the world of luxury beyond equestrian goods. Under the visionary leadership of Émile-Maurice Hermès, the maison introduced innovations we now take for granted: -the first zipper in France. -the first leather handbags designed for travel. -the iconic silk scarf in 1937. Each creation carries a whisper of equestrian universe: its silk scarves depict horses and carriages and the Kelly bag resembles a saddle shape. Hermès never forgets where it comes from and that is part of its magic. But what truly sets Hermès apart is its sacred devotion to craftsmanship. While many brands outsource or industrialise, Hermès protects the integrity of artisanal work with extreme discipline. One artisan, one bag Every Birkin and Kelly is created start-to-finish by a single craftsperson. No machine replaces their hands. No division of labour dilutes the responsibility. This means that the bag has perfect saddle stitching, hand-tinted edges and to finalize it, sometimes weeks of patient labor are needed. This is the reason why Hermès refused to expand production solely to meet demand. Scarcity is not a marketing strategy, it is actually a consequence of protecting excellence. In a world obsessed with “more,” Hermès insists on “less but better.” The Power of the Birkin and the Kelly The Birkin and Kelly bags are not only icons but truly cultural phenomena. Their stories, however, remain deeply rooted in authenticity rather than hype. The Kelly: Grace in leather Originally created in the 1930s, it became legendary when Grace Kelly used it to hide her pregnancy from photographers. Overnight, an elegant leather handbag became a timeless symbol of womanhood, grace, and quiet prestige  The Birkin: Born From a fateful meeting The Birkin bag design was born in 1984 when Jane Birkin sat next to Jean-Louis Dumas on a flight. She lamented that as a mother, she did not have a practical yet chic bag, for her milk bottles. Dumas listened, observed, sketched and a new icon entered the world. These bags are not simply accessories; they are emotional objects. They tell stories of craftsmanship, culture, and desire. They transcend seasons and generations. No logo is needed. Their silhouette is the signature. The Hermès Silk Scarf: A Poem in Print If the bags represent architectural luxury, the Hermès scarf represents artistic luxury. Printed in the maison’s workshops in Lyon, each scarf takes up to 18 months from concept to completion and 27 silk cocoons to create a single “Carré”. In addition to this, up to 40 colours applied by hand which means that wearing an Hermès scarf, is like wearing a painting. Overall Hermès has mastered the art of saying no: no to fast fashion, no to overproduction, no to trends and no to compromising quality. This quiet resistance, has created something rare: trust and prestige. The world believes in Hermès cause Hermès believes in itself.  |
