Hermes
Luxury French fashion house Hermès was founded in 1837 as a saddle and harness workshop catering for the elite carriage trade. The company soon expanded into men’s and women’s sportswear as well as accessories, featuring their iconic silk scarves and trunks. In 1937 Hermès produced their first silk scarves and it is now reported that one is sold every twenty seconds. Shortly after this the Kelly and Birkin bags were created securing Hermès’ place as the first name in luxury goods; even today the much coveted Birkin bag has the longest waiting list of any accessory in the world, about six years. In 1998 fashion maverick Martin Margiela took over creating strong womens wear lines, and later in 2004 French designer John-Paul Gaultier became Creative Director. Gaultier made the label more high-fashion and placed greater focus on the brand’s original equestrian beginnings. Today Lacoste designer Christophe Lemaire is at the creative helm. Christophe Lemaire, the designer responsible to reviving Lacoste, replaced Gaultier at Hermes in May 2010. It is thought that he will bring his simple, monochromatic style to the brand, making it more relevant to today’s buyers.▼
