Hermes is known for its scarves and bags, but it originally started as a saddlery. Look at how this iconic brand began.

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How Herms Became a Fashion Powerhouse
Their scarves are considered collectors pieces. Their handbags have waiting lists that last for
years. Their saddles are coveted by equestrians the world over. Theyve remained in the family
for nearly 175 years.
Yet when Thierry Herms (pronouced tee-airy air-mehz) moved from Germany to France in 1828,
he had no illusions of grandeur. No, he was just trying to feed his family. He set up a shop on the
Grand Boulevard quarter of Paris in 1837 doing what he did best: making bridles and harnesses
for the carriage trade. Word of his expertise spread quickly. By 1855, he was earning prizes, and
in 1867, he won a first class metal at the Exposition Universelles in Paris (where Tiffany &
Company also had their first big win).
Thierrys son Charles-Emile took over management in the 1870s and expanded the line to include
beautifully hand-crafted saddles. Charles-Emile also moved the shop to 24 rue du Faubourg
Saint-Honor in 1880 (where it remains today) and started actively courting the European elite. By
the turn of the century, along with his sons Adolphe and mile-Maurice, they were making saddles
for kings, presidents, and the Czar of Russia.
Herms Haut CourroiesAfter a trip to Argentina in 1892 in which he saw gauchos carrying their
equipment in tote bags, mile-Maurice introduced a tote-style bag to the line which he called the
Haut Courroies (pronounced oat a cur oo wah) (aka HAC), which loosely translated means High
Belts, referring to the belt straps that are used to close the bag. The bag is still one of their best
sellers, and has been produced in various sizes over the years, from 40-60 cm. Its used primarily
as a travel bag.
After Charles-Emile retired and his two sons took over the business in the early 1900s, they
renamed it Herms Frres (Herms Brothers) and began to introduce more accessories and apparel
into the product line. mile-Maurice became smitten with the new-fangled clasp locker later known
as the zipper on his travels, and immediately secured the exclusive rights to use zippers on
leather goods and clothing. He called is the fermature Herms (Herms fastener), and introduced
the first leather golf jacket with a zipper in 1918. Edward, Prince of Wales, was among the first to
buy one.
When mile-Maurices wife complained about not being able to find a suitable handbag, mile-
Maurice launched Herms first handbag collection in 1922. They introduced scarves in 1928,
womens couture apparel in 1929, the riding jacket in 1938, and both silk ties and perfumes in
1949.
They enjoyed some runaway hits along the way.

2. First were the scarves. Like all things Herms, les carrs (the scarves) are meticulously hand-
crafted. Woven from the silk of 250 mulberry moth cocoons which makes the scarves heavier yet
softer than other scarves each new scarf design takes up to 800 hours to complete. A new
engraving screen is required for each layer of color in the design (up to 36 colors), and each layer
of paint has to dry completely before the next is added. The scarves are printed side by side on
100 meter-long sheets of silk. Once the last color layer has dried, the sheets are washed, ironed,
and cut out. One by one, the edges are hand-rolled toward the design and hand-stitched by a
seamstress, which takes about 40 minutes per scarf. The scarves are then scented before
packing.
Because of the artistry of the designs and the detail to craftsmanship, the scarves became a
French icon almost immediately. Theyve become a rite of passage for women who can afford
them, and theyre handed down from generation to generation. 25,000 different designs have
been produced over the years, and an Herms scarf is sold somewhere in the world every 25
seconds.
Then theres the HAC.
The gaucho-inspired tote was a hit from the start, but soon, women were asking for it in a smaller
size. mile-Maurice listened, and in 1935 came out with a smaller (32 cm) version with a single
strap and called it the Petit Sac Haut Courroies. It enjoyed modest success until the fall of 1956,
when Grace Kelly was photographed carrying it to hide her pregnancy. Once the pictures were
splashed across the pages of Life Magazine, Herms was inundated with phone orders for the Kelly
Bag. Its been a top seller ever since.
Herms Birkin BagThen theres the Birkin bag, which is also a modified HAC. The story goes that
when singer Jane Birkin found herself sitting on a flight next to mile-Maurices grandson, and CEO
of Herms, Jean-Louis Dumas, in 1981, she complained that the HAC was not suitable for womens
travel, as it was too big and didnt have shoulder straps. Jean-Louis listened, went back to his
workshop, and created a smaller version with longer straps. Like the Kelly bag, the Birkin bag has
enjoyed success ever since.
So what about the rumors that theres a 5 year wait list for bags? Well, since each bag is made by
hand, and it takes a craftsman 70 hours to make each one, yes, there is a waiting list. The bags
are double saddle-stitched, which means that if one stitch breaks, the ones surrounding it can pick
up the slack and the bag wont fall apart. Thats what quality workmanship is all about, and why
Herms bags like Herms scarves and saddles are handed down for generations.
With a nod to their beginnings as a harness shop, Herms adopted their duc-carriage-with horse
logo in the early 1950s, and started using their signature orange boxes. They continued to expand
their product line throughout the 50s and 60s, yet for all their apparent success, they were on the
verge of collapse in the mid-70s. Their competitors blamed their insistence on using natural fibers
(silk and leather) as the culprit.
But Herms refused to compromise. Quality above quantity has always been their motto, and
instead of watering down their merchandise, they decided to beef up their marketing.
When Jean-Louis Dumas became Chairman and CEO in 1978, he was the 5th generation to run

3. the family firm. Hed been a part of the business since the mid-sixties, and was determined to
make his mark. When the company began struggling in the mid-70s he entered into the
Bloomingdales buyer-training program to learn how people consumed luxury goods. As soon as
he was installed as chairman, the changes began.
Hipper styles. Eye-catching ads. Herms for a new generation.
They added watches, jewelry, and tableware. The bought companies, they reduced franchises.
They became a world player. Annual sales went from US$50 million in 1978 to US$460 million by
1990, mostly due to Jean-Louis strategy. He retired in 2006. (Sales for 2010 were US$3.4
billion.)
Today, Herms continues to enjoy amazing success, selling 30,000 items in 14 categories from
leather goods to perfume to stationery. They continue to keep tight control over all their
merchandise, and still manufacture everything themselves. They have no licensing agreements.
Its worked for them. While many family-owned business have come and gone over the years,
Herms remains strong after nearly 175 years. Like Tiffany & Company, who began the same year
(1837), their dedication to quality has dazzled generations of buyers. No doubt theyll continue to
do so for many more.
(c) Diana Pemberton-Sikes
FashionForRealWomen.com
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