*craftsmanship. Because Hermès is an old company, dating back to 1837. They started as a harness maker.
*a family-owned company. Each generation tried to add on the legacy of the previous generations. The family is not only a shareholder, but is operationally involved. This is very important.
*creativity. creating every year, or even twice a year, thousands of new products. Each of them, of course, with the same search of excellence and quality.
when Hermes created this company, his ambition was to create the best made harnesses in Paris. The quest for quality was really the motto of this company from day one. Being a manufacturer of harnesses means, of course, long-lasting quality. Because, it's not like couture houses, where at the beginning, these dresses were worn once. Harnesses, of course, are used for months and years. So, this idea of long lasting quality is absolutely essential to Hermès still today.This quality is coming mostly from two elements, of course the quality of raw materials, and that's why today we are still extremely careful in the quality of leather, of course, silk or cashmere, or any raw material and the quality of the craftsman. they have never given, in the history of Hermès, any licensing agreement, because they always consider that every product signed with our name must be controlled, and created, and made by them. Hermès is still an artisanal company, especially in the leather activity, still today, or bags, or any leather object. Small leather goods as well are made by one person from the beginning to the end. they decided to move out of the initial business which was only equestrian products, and decided to start proposing new leather objects or accessories, like bags, like luggage, but made with the traditional know-how of the saddle makers. That is what they still use today in most of their bags, which is called the "saddle stitching technique", which is this way to give solidity and durability to the stitching to stitch the bags, or any objects, or the saddles of course, by hand with two needles in order that the stitch is extremely solid, and each stitch holds by itself. It's still what we call in French "point sellier" or "cousu sellier", saddle stitching, which is the very original know-how of this company. they were keen to really expand the company, expand the brand, always trying to find a link with the initial business, and so the first piece of of Hermès jewelry from 1927 is a sterling silver and leather in the shape of a horse bit. Same thing with the watch, the first Hermès watch, sold by Hermès in 1928. Why? Because, the twenties were the years where the wristwatches were replacing the pocket watches and, of course, when you say wristwatch, you say leather strap. After that, came silk and scarf, the first silk scarf was launched in 1937. Something more feminine and less expensive. Why silk? Because, at that time, the outfits of the jockey were made out of silk, and Hermès was the most important seller of jockey outfits.
Silk has become a major activity of Hermès, a fantastic collection of more than 1,200 or 1,500 different designs, with that famous size of 90 centimeters by 90 centimeters.Today, they have 800 of Hermès employees working in the region of Lyon, which is the capital city of silk in France, and who are involved in weaving, printing, engraving, finishing, sewing all the silk, and silk and cashmere accessories of the house.
they also had some very famous customers. Napoleon III was a customer for harnesses, and Hermès was the supplier of the Emperor.and still have a lot of famous people customers, but they are customers. they never give anything to anybody, never pay any famous people to wear the brand. but of course, are very happy to have them as customers.they are very discreet about that, unless there is, of course, a picture in a magazine, or in the newspaper, where one can recognize some of the bags. Then, it becomes public knowledge.
When one bag, (which was not at all a success) was bought by Princess Grace of Monaco, Grace Kelly. there was this famous picture of her, pregnant with Princess Caroline, it was a full-page picture. instantly that bag became popular, became successful. And after that, they asked her the permission to call it the "Kelly bag". This is still one of their bestsellers.
the Princess de Monaco was a loyal customer of Hermès all her life, and once again, it was her personal choice. Being such an old company, being so strongly into respecting the tradition, and so on. If you don't surprise people, if you go always where people expect you to go, you are boring. if you are boring, in this world of luxury and fashion, you don't last long.
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