Back to the Future
Drawing from its rich heritage but with a keen eye to the future, the latest Hermès home collection is defined by the delicate weaving of timeless design and contemporary spirit. Kissa Castañeda reports from Milan
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a single touch says so much more. That thought crossed my mind as I was running my fingers through the brick bridle leather of the Hermès Perpetual Calendar and touching the surface of the round, punchy-hued lacquer boxes—pieces from Lien d’ Hermès, the 2017/18 home collection presented by the luxury brand in April at the Salone del Mobile in Milan. This time, it chose the cavernous La Pelota at the centre of the city’s charming Brera Design District as the venue. In recent years, more and more fashion brands have ventured into the home domain by launching capsule furniture collections and conceptual exhibitions filling the already oversubscribed calendar of Milan Design Week. It isn’t just a phase for Hermès; the carefully considered installations it’s mounted since its first show in 2011 has cemented its position as a Fuorisalone must-see. For the French brand, it’s a continuum of tradition. “We have a long history in furniture dating back to the 1920s, although it was only in 2010/11 that we started to build a comprehensive home line,” explains Hélène Dubrule, general manager of Hermès Maison. “We endeavour to create collections for people who want to surround themselves with beautifully conceived and crafted objects.”
HISTORY LESSON
An interplay of light and shadow welcomed guests to this year’s installation, a clear departure from the imposing and dramatic atmosphere crafted by Mexican architect Mauricio Rocha for the pavilion in 2016. The streamlined white structure was set against touches of terracotta, finished off with a lighting design that mimics beams of Mediterranean sun streaming into a spartan seaside villa. “Our artistic directors for Hermès Maison, Charlotte Macaux Perelman and Alexis Fabry, wanted to convey a feeling of lightness. You feel a true harmony between architecture, scenography and the objects; we
also wanted the pieces to be in the spotlight,” shares Dubrule. While there’s a perceptible shift in ambiance, she stresses that the vision remains the same. “The home universe is all about timeless elegance, utmost quality, and the balance of purity and fantasy.” The entire collection is an inventive inquiry into the French company’s equestrian roots, signified by the lone leather harness adorning the entrance to the exhibition. Referencing its heritage in a creative way is the overarching theme, curiously expressed both overtly and subtly. At first glance, some pieces may appear derivative but there are clever twists in store. “All of the links and bridles are functional. They invite gesture—acting as an opener or a hook, for instance,” says Dubrule. They also aim to create a stronger link between past and present. The furnishing fabric Clic Clac Quadrillé is a good example: it overlaps two patterns—an iconic design called Clic Clac by Julia Abadie (originally created for a silk scarf in 1979) that is metamorphosed into a grid pattern by Gianpaolo Pagni. Undoubtedly, many consumers buy into the French savoir faire that Hermès represents, but the maison itself has always had a profound curiosity for other cultures and points of view. “We aim to strike a balance between inside and outside with regards to design and know-how. While we have a talented in-house design studio, we strive to nourish and foster relationships with other creative minds,” shares Dubrule. The selection process is as rigorous as one would expect. “Our artistic directors choose collaborators based on who can best answer the particularities of each project. It’s not about their name or the noise they can potentially create; they have to truly understand our identity and values.”
MODERN REIGN
Design is paramount but so is an artistic approach to production. Hermès has always had a strong affinity for hand-craftsmanship, and it might be less apparent that it places the same importance leveraging on technological advances. This is particularly evident in the light as air Karumi stools and bench designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Alvaro Siza, which was created in conjunction with a Japanese grand master bamboo cabinet-maker (one of the few authorised to cut bamboo from the sacred Arashiyama forest near Kyoto). “Our brief was for Siza to create occasional seating that’s light in terms of weight and appearance,” explains Laurent Haond, furniture collections and interior design projects director for Hermès. “Using bamboo was completely new for us; it’s one of the two new materials we worked with this year, the other being cast bronze,” shares Haond. “While the material is naturally flexible, we had to devise a way to achieve the size dictated by Siza’s minimalist design.” The clean-lined Karumi bench ingeniously conceals a carbon-fibre support structure, the
main innovation developed by the brand. It stripped the bamboo, put them together to create a kind of “plywood”, which was then moulded onto the carbon-fibre frame. This allowed the brand to retain the purity of Siza’s design, but ensure its practicality too. With the incredible amount of research that goes into every single piece, it’s not surprising that Hermès hopes to reach the widest audience as possible. Around 50 per cent of the collection is available for purchase at its boutiques; some, like the Tie Set porcelain collection, followed a see now, buy now strategy, and were immediately available globally the same day they were launched in Milan. Other bespoke pieces, however, could take three to six months from consultation to production, to delivery. “Our home collections aren’t limited in quantity but are dictated by the process and capacity of craftsmen,” says Haond. The cast bronze Aes coffee table by Barber & Osgerby is an example of something that requires a lot more effort than meets the eye. “Each table uses one mould. In that sense, it’s more like a sculpture than furniture.”
BUILDING BLOCK
From log baskets to scarf cabinets, it seems like Hermès has thought of every element needed to create a striking abode. It made me wonder—what would the ideal Hermès home look like? “It’s difficult to say but I imagine a bright, open family home with a garden,” shares Dubrule. “Though it isn’t about a specific architecture or interior but creating a feeling of warmth and well-being.” Like its fashion pieces, the furniture and home accessories are meant to be building
blocks that can find pride of place atop a coffee table or perhaps liven up an empty corner. They’re classic in style but have an of-the-moment quality that make them shine. “There’s a tension between being timeless and of our time, but the designs have to last. This is the paradoxical part of Hermès—to renew ourselves every season and hope the products last for a long time,” shares Dubrule. The brand also understands that a home isn’t just bricks and mortar but a sanctuary and a space for self-expression. “We don’t want to impose a certain look and rather want our pieces to mingle well with the client’s own possessions. The real beauty of Hermès is you can make it yours,” says Dubrule with a smile. After seeing its collection in person, that statement sure sounds like an invitation to indulge in the exciting and elegant universe of Hermès home.