{"id":15456,"date":"2022-11-10T09:25:59","date_gmt":"2022-11-10T09:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loveluxury.co.uk\/?p=15456"},"modified":"2022-11-10T09:25:59","modified_gmt":"2022-11-10T09:25:59","slug":"the-history-of-hermes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loveluxury.com\/topics\/the-history-of-hermes\/","title":{"rendered":"Harnesses to Handbags: The History of Herm\u00e8s"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now boasting a number of standout collections that everyone with an eye for fashion will have heard of, from the iconic Herm\u00e8s Kelly to the famous Birkin bag and everything in between, Herm\u00e8s has long been a staple brand in the luxury goods and accessories market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the preloved market particularly drawn to Herm\u00e8s as a brand with history, heart, and character, not to mention high quality and aesthetically pleasing bags, in this article we\u2019re looking beyond the bags themselves to consider the brand as a whole. Where did Herm\u00e8s come from, what were its origin products, and how did it grow such a cult following that watches out for every new product release?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Hermes<\/b><\/b><\/p>\n

Who are Herm\u00e8s?<\/b><\/p>\n

With origins in France, Herm\u00e8s is now recognised as one of the leading luxury French brands, designing and manufacturing leather goods, bags, perfume, tableware, even furniture. One of the standout features of the Herm\u00e8s brand is its attention to detail, with each bag taking weeks and sometimes even months to make due to <\/span>the individual process<\/span><\/a> that sees each, brought to life by skilled, artisan crafters and professionals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You only have to look at the wait time for an authentic Herm\u00e8s bag in the current market, to understand the incredible presence that the brand holds in the marketplace. Getting a brand new Herm\u00e8s straight off the shelf is near impossible without sitting on waitlists and having the right connections \u2013 with preloved Herm\u00e8s products often selling for high returns as a result.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Where did Herm\u00e8s begin?<\/b><\/p>\n

The <\/span>backstory of the Herm\u00e8s brand<\/span><\/a> lies in France in the 1830s, when Thierry Herm\u00e8s opened a harness and saddle shop to serve the horse riders in Paris. The high quality of the products he produced, combined with his use of the finest leather and the ornate stitching, soon meant he was noticed by noblemen and royalty, with his harnesses featuring at the \u2018Expositions Universelles\u2019 in Paris in 1855 and 1867.<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until 1900 that Herm\u00e8s created its first bag \u2013 first entering the accessories market with a saddlebag for riders, before eventually expanding beyond the realms of riding accessories in the 1920s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And the rest, as they say, is history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instant Quote For Your Herm\u00e8s Bag<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Who is Thierry Herm\u00e8s?<\/b><\/p>\n

The founder of Herm\u00e8s, Thierry Herm\u00e8s was a skilled leather goods worker, who utilised his skill to gain a foothold in the busy market of riding harnesses \u2013 with a special type of stitch which could only be finished by hand, winning him favour among customers from all walks of life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until Thierry Herm\u00e8s\u2019 children took over the business that Herm\u00e8s expanded into other markets \u2013 with handbags and other leather goods being manufactured as a result of the expected decline in harness demand as the modern world began to catch up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How has Herm\u00e8s changed over the years?<\/b><\/p>\n

To consider how Herm\u00e8s has changed over the years, you need only look at the <\/span>vast collection of handbags<\/span><\/a> now produced by the luxury brand. Over the years, Herm\u00e8s has launched a selection of bags which have all become brand staples \u2013 namely the Birkin and the Kelly bags \u2013 however, you will notice that small details change with every new release.<\/span><\/p>\n

Just as Herm\u00e8s expanded its product line to keep up with changing trends, expanding outside of the riding sector to remain relevant, so too do the details on its bags and other luxury accessories \u2013 with colour, material finish, hardware, size, and detailed features all shifting for the modern market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What types of products does Herm\u00e8s produce?<\/b><\/p>\n

Some of the most popular products that Herm\u00e8s produces today include perfumes, homeware and tableware accessories, scarves and throws, and the <\/span>iconic Herm\u00e8s handbags<\/span><\/a> \u2013 with some of the most famous collections and names explored below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"hermes<\/b><\/p>\n

What are Herm\u00e8s\u2019 most famous handbags?<\/b><\/p>\n

We cannot talk about Herm\u00e8s as a brand, or its history, without looking specifically at the Herm\u00e8s Birkin and the Herm\u00e8s Kelly collections.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Kelly bag was actually first released in 1935 under the title \u2018the Sac \u00e0 d\u00e9p\u00eaches bag\u2019, however, this was renamed in the 1950s when Grace Kelly famously used the bag to shield herself from paparazzi. Ever since, the Kelly bag has been released in all manner of colours, sizes, and finishes \u2013 with a huge following worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Birkin bag<\/span><\/a> is another named after a famous face, this time the English-French actress Jane Birkin who was sat on a flight next to Herm\u00e8s Chief Executive at the time, Jean-Louis Dumas and proceeded to outline everything she really needed from an everyday handbag. This inspired the designer, who went away and brought the Birkin bag to life \u2013 the bag is now Herm\u00e8s most popular ever and one of the most coveted bags to ever hit the luxury market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What makes Herm\u00e8s so unique in the designer handbag market?<\/b><\/p>\n

When Thierry Herm\u00e8s first launched his riding saddles and harnesses all those decades ago, what separated him from the rest of the market was his attention to detail and the skill with which he used stitching as part of each bag\u2019s aesthetic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today, that attention to detail and quality remains \u2013 with Herm\u00e8s using only the finest leather and producing just a handful of bags every week thanks to the complexity and care that goes into the production of every single piece.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Which celebrities wear Herm\u00e8s bags?<\/b><\/p>\n

Herm\u00e8s\u2019 following is global and ever-growing, with the following celebrities being known fans of the brand:<\/span><\/p>\n