11 Things You Didn't Know About Hermès
Ahead of the 'Leather Forever' exhibition, we uncover 11 of the juiciest facts about iconic French brand Hermès
Photo: Getty
Hermès
1) The name.
Thierry Hermès founded the fashion empire but the name Hermès also comes from the Greek god of messengers and commerce. (via About)
2) The house.
The house, which began as a harness and saddle maker, has been in existence for 178 years.
3) The stores.
There are 311 exclusive Hermès stores around the globe.
4) The café.
The Paris store on rue de Sèvres has a café and bookstore inside of the shop, as well as has the only Petit h dedicated space!
5) Web-savvy.
Hermès was one of the first luxury brands to launch an e-commerce site in 2001.
6) The Kelly and Birkin.
The famous Kelly and Birkin bags are named after Grace Kelly and Jane Birkin, respectively. (via New York Magazine)
7) The orange box.
The iconic Hermès orange boxes were originally cream colored with a gilded edging imitating the pigskin, then mustard coloured with a brown edging. The first orange boxes came about after the Second World War, due to a shortage of the original materials.
8) The orange box, part deux.
In 1994, Hermès received the packaging Oscar for its folding orange boxes. Today, there are about 188 sizes of orange boxes.
9) The scarf.
The length of thread necessary for making 1,000 Hermès carrés is equal to the distance between the Earth and the Moon!
10) The Family business.
The company's Artistic Director, Pierre Alexis Dumas is a 6th generation member of the founding family of Hermès. (via the Business of Fashion) Dumas was not simply given his role as Artistic Director. In fact, he has said that his father (Jean-Louis Dumas and former Hermès Chairman) made him fight for it prove he was the right fit for the position. (via the Wall Street Journal)
11) The philanthropic side.
The Fondation D'Enterprise Hermès was founded in 2008 by Pierre-Alexis Dumas (President). To this day, it aids in the promotion of traditional craft skills, support for the creative arts, a commitment to education and training, and environmental concerns. (via Fondation D'Enterprise Hermès)
The Hermès “Leather Forever” exhibition is on from 25 October to 13 December 2015.
For more information, visit lfe.hermes.com
From: HarpersBazaar.com