Hermès 101
Hermès has been one of the largest fashion houses in the world. Qualiity craftsmanship and timeless design keep the luxury house at the top. Here are 10 facts that you may not know about Hermès.
Hermès began in 1837, when the harness-maker Thierry Hermès opened a workshop in rue Basse-du-Rempart in Paris. Right away he understood the importance of quality craftmanship.
Emile-Maurice Hermès met Henry Ford, who offered to take him to tour Ford automobile factories. Legend has it that he was so impressed when he discovered the zipper in a car's interior that he patented that innovation for use in Europe, where it was first used on the Hermès Bolide bag.
Hermès knows that the backbone of its brand is quality craftmanship, so it trains its craftspeople for 18 months. Once they start the job, it takes eight years to earn the "master artisan" title.
Lyon has been the French capital of silk for 500 years, so it only makes sense that Hermès makes its scarves there.
Ever wonder how long it takes to make an Hermès Birkin or Kelly? The answer is about 15 to 20 hours, but that depends on a number of factors, including size and material.
Did you know that Hermès crocodile bags take the longest to make? The durability of the skin adds extra hours to manufacturing.
Hermès wants to do good within the communities where there are stores, so it does things like partner with schools to donate materials and more.
An Hermès bag is meant to be passed down from generation to generation, so rather than discard old bags, it repairs them make them like new in house.
Hermès is all about exclusivity, so much so that it has less than three dozen stores across the entire United States.
An Hermès carré measures at about 35" x 35", consisting about 280 miles of silk thread.