BEYOND THE BAG
HERMÈS CONTINUES A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE WITH ITS FURNITURE LINE
Women (and some men too, to be honest) go hysterical for Hermès’ Birkin bag. There is no denying that the French maison’s handbag is one of the most globally recognised icons and coveted items, but mention of their furniture line may draw a few blank looks or two. There are no shortages of accessory or fashion houses that also cover interior living grounds, be it American classic authority Ralph Lauren Home or the Italian peacock that is Versace Home. But what exactly is the Hermès aesthetic and what is so enticing about it? How does it encapsulate its high-end luxuriance when their art direction seems to be less is more?
If their showcase in Milan last week is anything to go by, the Hermès world is one that is tightly and perfectly proportionate, yet there’s still lots of whimsy thrown into the mix. Design bon vivants from around the world were buzzing around the Italian city for the fashion week equivalent for furniture, Salon del Mobile, and Hermès was one of the brands that presented its latest homeware line in a grand yet neatly outlined manner.
Inside Museo della Permanente, seven different caves have been erected to showcase the latest home collections for 2018-2019. To be more precise, they were gigantic cubes of varying lengths and ceilings that stun you with their stark squareness. Each one was completely covered in glossy, handmade Moroccan zellige tiles in earthy colours that transports you to a Middle Eastern village. Within each block, one would find different categories of objects, ranging from porcelain, fabrics, games, leather accessories, wallpaper, boxes, cashmere throws, to bigger pieces such as stools and tables.
Such a multitude of varying objects makes it confusing to pinpoint the face of the core, but Helene Dubrule sees this as one of the very standout traits of the house.
“I guess we are one of the few brands that can say we have wood, porcelain, metal, textiles, cashmere and so many other things, but with each, we look for the best quality,” said Hermès Maison’s general manager. “We like eclecticism, but in harmony. Most things are made in France but not all. The idea is that we find the best experts and sometimes that’s in Italy, Scotland or whatnot. We don’t want to do what everyone else is doing. What we like to do is go abroad and look for the best savoir-faire and techniques. We have a long-standing supplier in Nepal for hand-spun cashmere, a partner in Vietnam for lacquer, Indonesia for wood and bamboo in Japan where we found a master of bamboo. It’s quite exciting but at the same time complex, to be able to master and manage all these different suppliers.”
According to Dubrule, it takes at least two-to-three years to perfect each piece of furniture. They take their time to really master the craft of things they are not initially specialists in, but this by no means implies that they are new in the field.
“We’ve done it since the 1920s, when we did furniture with Jean-Michel Frank,” said the French native, who has also overseen Hermès’ perfume and textile arms. “He was a very famous French decorator and he came to Hermès to have his furniture covered with leather in our workshops. Since then, we have launched some different collections and objects to accompany the way of life of our clients. In the 30s, we started to diversify our métier and in the 80s, we started to develop porcelain and textile for the home.”
This season, one of the main patterns on the porcelain is “A Walk In The Garden”, where a tidy melange of leaves and flowers dot the plates in bright, warm colours. On vases, hand-brushed edges in a different, popping colour to mimic the leather lining of the house’s leather bags can be found, while tea cups and trays parade a chequered, if not a fastidious print, where not one stroke of stripes is out of place. It slowly becomes apparent that the prints’ geometric perfection can be traced back the brand’s solid “H” which sometimes disguises itself in square patterns, but at the same time, there is a lighthearted effect to it all. Hermès’ song is clearly one of balance and precision, where rigorous lines are crossed with dreamy leaves. “There is the idea of the right, relevant scale,” explained Dubrule. “The right colour. The tension between rigour and fantasy. This oxymoron between simplicity, purity and aliveness with fantasy. There is this tension and you find these values opposite of each other but Hermès makes the synchrony and synthesis of it.”
“Most importantly, when we choose designs for Hermès, it has to stand the test of time,” added Dubrule. “It has to be in our times, but must also be timeless. This beauty in utility and understated elegance is something we look for. It is not ostentatious, but very discreet. A home has a special relationship to time because it is not fashion. It has to last a bit, because you can’t just change it. That’s why Charlotte and Alexis [the art directors] like to talk to architects for designing furniture — because they have a long-standing and long-term view.”
In the brand’s subtle (but always smiling) manner, one will find tables and seats that are so smooth, where it is possible to run your face across the surface and not catch a single splinter. The cashmere quilt, decked with a graphic horse silhouette by Mexican artist Miguel Castro Leñero, also sees blink-and-you’ll-miss glass beads that have been embroidered to create a refined sparkle. Although less prevalent of a theme this year, Hermès still pays homage to their equestrian roots with a necklace bust. Made of mahogany and brick bridle leather, the bust was inspired by the instruments that were used to adjust the collars of horse harnesses from the past. It’s not like anything one would be able to find elsewhere and even those who are not horseback riders can take pleasure in objects that were inspired by these strong steeds. In fact, the horse itself can be the apt analogy regarding how Hermès manages its maison — in perfect proportions of fantasy and rigidity, and always faithful to its heritage, but sure to be relevant with the times. “Oh, I am not a horse rider,” smiled Dubrule. “But I can see the aesthetic of the horse, which is a lot of strength, but at the same time it’s also elegance and animal grace. It’s a very powerful animal, but it stands on its dancers’ feet. And to steer the horse is something very subtle, you must be very firm and attentive because every detail counts. If you don’t respect the animal, it can be very dangerous. And that’s what it’s like at Hermès.”
The home collection will soon be available in Thailand at the Hermès store set to open at Icon Siam in October.