Hermès Welcomes A New Hermès Boutique

The French fashion house just welcomed a new boutique in Germany: Located on the same street where the house has been anchored since 1997, Neuer Wall 43, the new Hermés boutique blended the elements of Hermés’ legacy and Hamburger ambiance with its unique architecture. The design by RDAI architects of Paris presents a clear discovery for clients through its clean geometric lines and transparent glass facades. The collections take place like sales islands, inviting the clients on a trip to explore their wishes between products. Axel Dumas, The Chief Executive Officer of the fashion house emphasizes the points bringing the Hermés and port of Hamburg together through this design: Trading, bartering, presenting the wonderful objects of the world, and sharing in a spirit of freedom and curiosity. Dumas takes the clients on an imaginary journey in the boutique, adding that it will be a new chapter in House’s history. Reminding that Thierry Hermés left Krefeld am Rhein for Paris and Dumas family have been active in the trades in Hamburg; Dumas shares his pleasure in the boutique to exhibit elegant objects and goods. 

FASHION AT THE PORT

New Hermès Boutique’s interior design composes accordingly with Hamburg’s unique dynamics of being a port city. Floating and curved wall made of oak is reminiscent of shipbuilding and wooden boats. You can feel the colors of Hamburg while having a tour inside: putty gray, chestnut, ocher, sand, blue-green, gray-blue appear with the iconic Hermès orange which also references the brick buildings of the Hamburg Port. The central room is full of mosaics in ocher brown tones, just as the “Ex Libris” motif shows itself. The silk collections are exhibited on this floor by channeling the patterns of the House of Hermès: Figurative “Greqcque” glass ball lamps in ancient Greek style radiate their light from the ceiling and meet with gray and blue mosaic surface on the sales area that exhibits the leather goods.

The mezzanine welcomes the customers with a horse sculpture made of linden wood. The figurehead, custom-carved by French artist Clarisse Griffon du Bellay, portrays a transition of time with waves caressing the horse’s flanks. The mezzanine also contains various artworks such as paintings, drawings, prints, and photographs which strengthens the maritime ambiance. The artistic contribution to the boutique is not limited to that. Two underwater-inspired scenes that were created by French artist duo Florentine and Alexandre Lamarche-Ovize for the shop windows are celebrating the boutique’s opening entitled Opéra Aquatique.

The new Hermès boutique salutes the city through the aesthetics of wooden boats and shipbuilding. As it achieves a new milestone between Hermès and Hamburg, it intensifies the vitality of the European market. Contemporary spirits of Hermès collections being combined with local-inspired interior design offers more than high fashion. It offers a multidimensional experience at the heart of the Hanseatic city.

RECALLING THE SUSTAINABLE ACTS

Hermès, as an initiative in sustainable fashion, is unique by its craftsmanship and humanistic dimensions in its every process of design. Concentrating on creative freedom, the fashion house functions by creating objects that are timeless. Carrying this legacy since 1837, Hermés expands its existence to over 300 boutiques in 45 countries today. The savoir-faire stance of the fashion house contributes to a sustainable society when their serious focus on biodiversity and environmental protection as prior disciplines. Objects being passed from one owner to another, the brand prioritizes their sustainability with integration to circularity through research and development of its designs. The house is highly sensitive to working environments for the well-being of artisans and keeps creating new jobs each year to maintain the sustainability of employment. Employees are held together with the local, social, and cultural ecosystem’s necessities. The sustainability of natural resources finds a place at the core of Hermés: Adopting transparency, security, and the local dimension of supply chains; the house is committed to optimizing its use of water and energy as they do with the brand’s carbon footprint. 

Words:

Tolga Rahmalaroglu
Luxiders Magazine