Experience the extraordinary retail theater of Hermès in this captivating story.
The grand reopening of Hermès’ Beverly Hills store was nothing short of a spectacle. With acrobats descending the building’s Rodeo Drive facade and trumpets blaring, Hermès pulled out all the stops after an 18-month renovation. As part of the celebration, the French fashion house took over a soundstage in Culver City for an unforgettable Hollywood-level production. Guests were treated to a water ballet performance, had the opportunity to star in their own short films, and were dazzled by a collection of archival celebrity-owned Hermès pieces on display. These included Alfred Hitchcock’s anchor-print bathing trunks, Lauren Bacall’s leather flask, and Humphrey Bogart’s famous “Haut a Courroies” traveling bag, which was the precursor to the iconic Birkin.
The event was filled with emotion for the family-run Hermès business, which started as an equestrian harness-making workshop in Paris back in 1837. The brand has since become a global luxury powerhouse, renowned for its coveted Birkin bags, popular among celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Lady Gaga, and Sofia Vergara. Pierre-Alexis Dumas, a sixth-generation family member and Hermès’ artistic director, expressed his sentimental connection to the brand’s heritage during the celebration. He shared how his father, Jean-Louis Dumas, made a bold decision in 1972 to open a freestanding store on Rodeo Drive. Despite the challenges faced by his grandfather during the Great Depression, the family continued to push boundaries, resulting in the success the brand enjoys today.
In its early days, Hermès attracted a prestigious Hollywood clientele, with Greta Garbo purchasing handbags and Sammy Davis Jr. ordering a custom traveling bar lined in red leather. The brand’s newly renovated 12,000-square-foot flagship store, now located at 434 Rodeo Drive, showcases a distinctive white marble facade, seamlessly blending with the surrounding luxury retail establishments.
Paris-based firm RDAI (Rena Dumas Architecture Interieure), founded by Rena Dumas, Pierre-Alexis’ late mother, took charge of designing the store. Rena Dumas played an instrumental role in designing all previous Hermès boutiques, starting with the Beverly Hills location in 1972. The interior of the store exudes an airy and light ambiance, featuring a striking white marble spiral staircase reminiscent of a giant seashell. A skylight at the top adds to the ethereal atmosphere, creating a mesmerizing experience reminiscent of artist James Turrell’s Skyspace installations.
The renovated Hermès flagship offers an extensive range of products, including luxurious cashmere men’s hats, vibrant Kelly Picnic wicker handbags, exquisite leather saddles, colorful enamel bracelets, and fluttering silk scarves. Among the highlights is a specially designed Beverly Hills silk scarf featuring palm trees reflected in a shimmering swimming pool. The second floor houses fine jewelry, watches, and apparel, including a men’s bespoke suit department with over 3,000 fabric options. Additionally, the third floor boasts the largest selection of Hermès home products in the United States, encompassing tabletop items, fur-trimmed bed linens, wallpaper, upholstery fabric, and furniture.
Every detail of the newly opened store reflects Pierre-Alexis Dumas’ personal touch, including the artwork curated throughout the space. For the store windows, he enlisted the talents of Paris-based artists Lucie Thomas and Thibault Zimmermann, known as Zim & Zou. They created a colorful paper art exhibition, capturing the flora, fauna, and skyline of Southern California, which included a miniature Staples Center.
Stepping into the menswear department, visitors will encounter a small oil painting by contemporary British artist Peter Slater. Titled “Oberon,” the portrait challenges convention with its unique depiction of a horseless rider, infused with surreal humor. This fusion of past and future, respect for tradition while embracing innovation, epitomizes Dumas’ approach as he oversees the work of Hermès’ skilled craftsmen in silk, leather, wood, and other materials.
Dumas’ unconventional journey to his current role involved an initial lack of interest in joining his family’s business. However, during his time as a student at Brown University, Dumas developed a deep appreciation for the visual arts, largely influenced by an exceptional professor. This led him to an internship at the renowned Italian textile firm Ratti, where he gained extensive knowledge in textile design. Eventually, Dumas returned to Hermès to embark on a decade-long journey, starting in Hong Kong, progressing to London, and finally settling in Paris, where he collaborated with his father on the artistic side of the business.
Since Dumas assumed the position of artistic director two years ago, Hermès has consistently exceeded financial expectations. The brand reported a 16% increase in second-quarter revenue, with clothing revenue surging by 23%, thanks to the successful collections by designers Christophe Lemaire and Vèronique Nichanian. Recognizing the demand for its leather goods, including the iconic Birkin bag, each meticulously crafted by a single artisan over 20 hours, Hermès recently added two workshops to its production facilities.
In recent years, Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton has steadily increased its stake in Hermès, currently holding about 22.6%. This encroachment has been labeled as hostile and a clash of cultures by Hermès executives. Unlike many luxury brands, Hermès remains committed to its core philosophy of preserving tradition and handcraftsmanship. Assembly lines are absent from Hermès’ production process, as the brand relies on artisans in France to meticulously hand-sew their leather goods and weave silk scarves in Lyon. Perfumes are created in-house near Grasse, in the South of France.
The ownership of Hermès may be a family affair, but Dumas believes the brand’s culture is a universal legacy. It represents a belief in the importance of craftsmanship, dating back to the time when humans first harnessed fire. Craftsmanship is a testament to thousands of years of evolution, experimentation, and transmission. Dumas passionately upholds this legacy as he oversees Hermès’ team of nearly 3,400 skilled craftsmen and women.
For Dumas, true luxury lies not in the price of a $10,000 bag but in the story and process behind it. He views luxury as a journey of learning and understanding. The more one delves into the craft, rarity, uniqueness, and history of an object, the greater the appreciation for its value. It’s not about a mere price point but the knowledge that lies beneath.
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