The name Hermes, belongs to one of the most famous fashion Houses, is associated with fans of the legendary scarves cart, bags Birkin Bag, straps with the letter H on the buckle and, of course, with orange boxes with brown silk ribbons that are emblazoned known aristokraticheskogo logo. These things must be present in the wardrobe of every who consider themselves among the connoisseurs of fashion.
Today, Hermes produces enjoying the same success leather goods, clothes pret-a-porter, perfumes and jewelry. Hermes International belongs to the whole Empire of retail stores, which has spread their holdings in 35 countries. Its revenues exceed $1, 5 billion In the Windows of boutiques Hermes never appear signage Sale, they do not give out discount cards and do not sell licenses for the release of goods under its brand in Southeast Asia. The business is legendary House to this day remains a family enterprise whose success specialists considered as one of the most successful examples of a family business. How is the company producing luxury goods for over 170 years, has been able to maintain its tradition and commitment to family values?
My Kingdom for a horse! The second half is for the harness...
When Thierry hermès, the saddler, who immigrated from Germany, opened his Paris Studio in the vibrant, but not too elegant quarter of Madeleine, he probably dreamed about success. And I must say that he did a lot in order to achieve the workshop was opened in 1837, but after thirty years of his car to fit the bridle won a medal 1st class at the world Exhibition. Forme a Collier d Hermes did those thousands of small movements, which for centuries were the secret masters-saddle, customized bridles for horses. Harness for secular and simply requires the company to respect the rights of the nineteenth century was the important thing. First, he must be confident in its immaculate quality, as crippled in the carriage, which burst, say, traces, or the cinch was easier. Secondly, the harness was a subject that could say a lot about its owner, and when the count of Monte Cristo hung on horses emerald earrings the size of a pigeon egg, he adorned it harness.
Described Dumas-father events occurred in 1838. Where managing a fake graph ordered equipment for horses of his vengeful master, it is not known, but he could do in the company, which is involved. At that moment the truck firm Thierry Hermes existed in Paris for a year. Armacy by religion were Protestants and worked with the characteristic of the Protestant qualities: slowly, but with guaranteed successful results. Their products were distinguished by the strength and grace. Armacy always had only the best craftsmen and never skimped on quality of raw materials.
Typical was the bet only on their, or rather, to family members who died in 1878 Thierry was inherited by the son Charles-Emile and grandchildren Adolphe and Emile-Maurice. The latter was managed by the renowned firm with headquarters in Paris Faubourg-Sainthonore, the best manufacturer of saddlery products in all of France, who also shoes and clothing for horse riding, Polo and Golf. But with Emile-Maurice Hermès (1870 - 1951) and began the Hermes, for the right to possess products which ladies now are ready to pay huge money, but obediently to stand in the queue.
Emile-Maurice with his brother Adolf, in 1902, took control of the House. Things were going well. Customers Hermes were the reigning house of Russia, Romania, Spain, Japan, the President of the French Republic, famous politicians and successful business people. During the First world war the House became the supplier of the French cavalry.
Emile-Maurice was the youngest, the most charming and adventurous of the sons of Charles-Emile. In addition, he was an avid traveler - fun for the beginning of the twentieth century is quite respectable. But the young Hermes is not just fun. His visits to different parts of the globe were, so to speak, informally-business character. Today it would be called "international marketing", and at that time he was looking for new markets and at the same time new sources of high quality raw materials. So he learned that if the crocodile skin is best harvested in Australia, with a few other qualities of the skin alligator exclusively in Florida. The best quality have a water Buffalo skin from West Bengal, shark from Siam, and the skins of lizards, from Malaysia; the most reliable mechanisms for the leather industry are doing in Canada.
It was there, in Canada, buying in 1918 equipment, Emile-Maurice drew attention to the strange novelty - zipper. As a practical man, he immediately realized that joining the two pieces of skin is nothing more comfortable to not be. However, in horse harness places the lightning somehow was not. But it was just worried about the Ermes less likely, because the manufacturer was clear as day: saddlery business will cease to generate substantial revenue literally any day now. Was the era of cars, and luxury seat could be useful now only as exotics. (By the way, during one of his trips he was able to charm the Emperor Nicholas II, who saw the works of the masters Hermes worthy to give Home the title of "Supplier of His Imperial Majesty", and the last major contract for the harness Emile-Maurice Hermes was concluded before the First world with the Ministry of court of the Russian Empire). But the new clasp perfect, first, to clothing, Golf course (and released in the same year the jacket zipper from Hermes has become a sensation among fans of the sport), and secondly, bags. Armacy and released a variety of baggage, but travel bags with zipper were an absolute rarity. He later bought the rights from the Swedish inventor of the zipper, and in the minds of French zip gained such a clear Association with the products of Hermes, that they just started calling it innovation “la fermeture Hermes” (clasp Ermes).
And in 1922, its contribution to the development of the family brand made and spouse Emile-Maurice. According to legend, she complained to her husband, saying that it is impossible in this Paris to pick up a decent handbag. Gallant husband, of course, ordered to do for your beloved half of something completely exclusive, namely handbag with zipper, sewn particular, the so-called saddle stitch, which provides both strength and a unique look. So the wife of Hermes's been forever freed from the need to get fancy shops, and the Hermes company has expanded its line of another product, and one that will glorify him in the very near future.
The real Princess and the silk square
In 1928 the company had a regular and perhaps the most important breakthrough. This year was marked the centennial anniversary of the transfer of the family is involved from Germany to France. But the age-old date and would have remained unnoticed if no one but.... In 1928 Hermes made its first silk scarf.
A completely new product was launched a long time - on stream production of the famous "caret" I only went to jubilee 1937, when there was already a century of education Home Hermes. Although, the word "flow" is not particularly suited to our history (it's not just the headscarf, but also any other things with the logo of Hermes). Classic silk square is a quadrilateral area of 90 by 90 inches of 65 grams of the finest silk, obtained from 250 cocoons, unique, unchanging hand-printed pattern. In the drawings - races, the signs of the zodiac and images of Matisse, ornaments in the form of keys and wild animals. Scarf from Hermes has become the most democratic way to join a luxury brand (average price "caret" today is about three hundred euros) and the ability to quickly stopped to ignore. Located in Lyon factory can make 40,000 scarves per week (in practice to develop somewhat less), every year sees two collections. Just for nearly seventy years, Hermes invented almost 25000 original models.
Silk scarf not only turned smug mark for above class; it willingly photographed person, to imagine them as paid models do not dare to even not very inflamed imagination. In the early fifties in the Hermes scarf has marked Queen Elizabeth II. And not on the band gossip, and the postage stamp of great Britain. Since then, who not only served as Hermes as a walking advertisement (often free): Catherine Deneuve and Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy and grace Kelly. With the last two ladies from Hermes, however, formed a very special relationship, but to talk about them, let us go back a little bit ago, to the first accessory that brought fame to the company from the Rue du Faubourg-Saint-honoré - to purse.
Hermes invariably represents its client as the embodiment of "understated luxury". The thing may be orange or purple, but it should be a splendid orange and aristocratic purple. In the fifties and sixties two perfect characters such luxuries were two American women, who became his in European high society: grace Kelly and Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. In 1956 grace appeared on the cover of Life magazine, as the former movie star has just been crowned a special, being married to Rene III, Prince of Monaco. The neck of the newly minted Princess adorned scarf from Hermes, in the hands of the former actress clutched the handbag, which immediately wanted all the ladies in the world. It was a Kelly Bag, the first "personal" bag Hermes. To get it simple (albeit rich) mortal has proved quite difficult, because the bag in the Hermes come Mali brilliant marketing ploy: it was impossible to just walk into a shop and buy the desired item. "To manufacture our bags goes from half to two months," at these words the people from Hermes, it is important to raise the finger and send the client at the end of the queue, which can last from a couple weeks up to a year. Instead of not yet quite forgotten war "tails" European women had lies in a more enjoyable, but also exciting waiting. Needless to say that the popularity of the Kelly of this move was quite unseemly?
After a few years, Hermes has repeated the course with a nominal bag, though slightly differently. Face bags Constance became Jacqueline Kennedy and although directly call the product the name of the former first lady for ethical reasons it didn't work, the name Constance, too, did not stick - bag became known as O-bag, under the new name Jacqueline Onassis. (Bag, by the way, was wonderful, the best, perhaps, in the history of Hermes is comfortable with a double handle and a clasp in the form of a large letter H.)
But when the true Princess was over, it was time princesses screen, and the symbol of Hermes became Jane Birkin, the most beautiful girl of the sixties, not lost a truly "armenische" charm and a half dozen years later. Birkin Bag 1984 - the most popular handbag from Hermes. And the most expensive is her version of crocodile skin is EUR 25,000. Moreover, in order to become its owner, will have to wait from one to three years. What will replace it? Maybe Sara Bag (actress Sarah Jessica Parker in "Sex and the city" irony about longing Samantha to have a bag from Hermes, and she is the owner of a decent collection of them)? The question remains...
Dumas, Dumas and others... In the history of the house Hermes
In the late 1920's, Emile-Maurice passed the Hermes company is in the hands of his son-in-law Robert Dumas, the husband of one of four daughters. Thus, starting with the fourth generation of governors of the Hermes company, the name of the founder was transmitted only through the female line. Each Manager brings in something new, and Robert Dumas was no exception. He launched a line of legendary silk scarves and ties, as well as a line of perfumes and beach towels.
Women's clothing Hermes began producing back in 1929 - something I need to adapt silk handkerchief. Pret-a-porter, the firm could and quality, and expensive, but quite impersonal. In 1978 Jean-Louis Dumas - fourth of six sons of Robert Dumas, took key positions in the company after his father's death. During its control by the House of Hermes Dumas the younger managed to make the French company producing goods of a class "Lux" with a real Empire with annual sales exceeding $1, 5 billion It was his idea to a very flexible and effective business strategy called "multilocale". Under this strategy, the Hermes company went the way of self-governing institutions of regional branches in such major markets as the United States and Japan, instead of to control your units directly from the Central office. Ultimately, this led her to success.
If we talk about the creative side of the work of Hermes, Jean-Louis Dumas always tried to actualize the creative heritage, inherited from the nineteenth century. Due to this, in the collections of clothing and accessories company is always a topic of horse saddles, bits, spurs and so on). In 1998 on the role of creative Director of Hermes was invited Belgian Martin Margiela. Young, famous, daring avant-gardist.... His head was jam Packed full of radical ideas. Margiela did not make revolutions, but when it is about clothing from Hermes at least talking fashion magazines (they usually tremblingly begged bags and scarves for filming, but about "ermitovskoi" clothes tried not to write). Belgian lasted five years, although cynical critics gave him most of the year, shook Hermes and returned to his avant-garde works.
It seemed that after such an experiment, the company will return to the proven method and will be invited to replace Margiela of the unknown craftsman, losing the power of speech from one look at the famous logo with the cart. It was not there. The choice bosses Hermes was remarkable: be responsible for the clothing they called Jean-Paul Gaultier. As radical as Margiela, but unlike the predecessor excessively-pretentious. Nothing to worry about, however, is not: Gauthier satisfies its extreme tendencies in the collections produced under his own name, but for Hermes stands in the role of Creator, is responsible for the goods under great brand never ceased to intrigue.
In September 2005, after the departure of Analoui Dumas as Executive Director of the House of Hermes vigorous debate of the fashionable public. The concern of the fans was not even the fact of the departure of legendary Manager, and rumors that his post for the first time in the history of the brand will be assigned to people "not of the family"!
Truth in all this was, indeed, the new managing company Hermes International was not a family member, and Patrick Tom, who before held the post of assistant Executive Director. He debunked all the speculation about the possible sale of the company: "Today the family is United as never before - it intends to retain control over the brand name". The new leader promised fans that the House will be a few minor changes, but the strategy, which was Jean-Louis Dumas, will remain unchanged. Patrick Tom also stated: "in spite of my appointment to the post of head of the family Hermes-Dumas will be able to resume his leadership later. Perhaps we, in some sense, moving away from family control, but I can predict how everything will return to normal. Of course, this will not happen tomorrow morning, but I can imagine a situation where a family member will come to the Board of Directors to become a co-Director with me". Focusing on continuity, Tom added that to be a follower of Dumas's not so easy: "after Trying on the shoes giant, you feel very small...".
Himself Jean-Louis Dumas expressed his confidence in the success of the new team is very metaphorical statement: "From the roots Hermes they learn how to obtain vitality for new branches that will grow in response to the dreams of our clients"...
Fabulous Hermes
Source:
Women's Magazine
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