Hermès

It was in 1837 that Thierry Hermès founded the famous French company of the same name, a true family epic that quickly led to international expansion. An original speciality of saddle harness maker allows the company to put its signature on a new style of work to enhance the value of quality leather. Over the generations, the Hermès lineage has succeeded brilliantly in preserving the house’s equestrian tradition while diversifying its products in a constant modernity. Indeed, the skill of design very quickly extended to leather goods, ready-to-wear, interior decoration, watches and jewellery.

The 20th century is for Hermès the century of diversification. At the beginning of the 20th century, they decided to launch other products made of leather: bags, belts and gloves. In 1935 Hermès invented a women’s bag known as the Kelly bag. But let’s remember that this bag only took this name in the 1950s when Grace Kelly took her bag out of the plane and stuck it against her belly to hide her early pregnancy. Two years later, in 1937 Hermès launches their famous Silk Squares which will have a real success in particular with the public personalities of the time. Hermès continued to grow; in 1951 the Luxury brand entered the perfume business with L’eau d’Hermès.

Later, in 1978, Hermès launched a women’s ready-to-wear line under the direction of Martin Margiela and then Jean-Paul Gaulthier in the 2000s. In the 1980s, Hermès created the Birkin bag in reference to Jane Birkin. As a young mother, she used to complain that she couldn’t find a bag that was both large enough to carry all her baby’s things and elegant enough to carry her baby. Hermès took up the challenge and without really wanting to, this bag quickly became an iconic bag of the brand.

Fashion sales are always appreciated and Hermès pieces are often sought after. In 2012, for example, a Birkin bag went double its estimate. We, Aguttes Sales House, organise an average of 3 sales per year in all media (physical and online sales). If you wish to contact us on this subject, do not hesitate to contact Marie Rastrelli at 01 47 45 93 06.