The Atelier by Hermès

Amidst Fashion Weeks worldwide, I want to spotlight a special event that took place in Paris' Carreau du Temple, Hermès Hors Les Murs. Hermès opened the doors to life inside their ateliers with a unique experience where one could see how the artists work behind the legendary brand known for its colorful silk scarfs and more commonly for a signature leather handbag by the name of Birkin. The Birkin bag, which retails for a minimum of $7,500 and could add up to about $150,000 depending on the leather you choose. This iconic handbag has become a symbol of fashion and by definition of its price and quality, its also a luxury piece.

The workshop was set up fantastically, where you could easily navigate from one station to the next to learn and get an insight look at the handcraft that goes into each of the pieces of this French brand. From its origins, Hermès specialized in fine leather goods, but little known fact, they began as a harness workshop manufacturing high quality harnesses and brindles for carriages. Years later, the management was passed down to the elder son of the founder, who moved the shop to the famously Parisian street Faubourg Saint-Honoré, where it still stands today. By this time, it specialized as a saddlery shop that catered to elites worldwide.

The workshop gives you a sense of their beginnings and though time has passed by their style and meticulous artistry hasn’t changed. Every station has an artisan, working down to the last minute on a single piece. Whether it was drawing a print for the silk scarfs, sewing the handle of a Kelly bag by hand, or stretching and washing the leather for a personalized fitted pair of gloves.

For me, the Kelly bag is the one item that made me wish I was sitting there making it myself as DIY project I could take home at the end of the workshop. This bag was redesigned several times through the years, and ultimately it was named the Kelly bag after the actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly.

Another item that left me in awe was the leather gloves. Not only was the craftsman who was in charge of that station a man with great character, but also the process of caring for the leather, stretching, measuring, finding the pieces and angles to sew, it was all so interesting.

Lastly, seeing the silk scarves stretched out on the printing table where they were already engraved and painted. On display on the background you can see examples of how the paint colors look and a sneak peek of how the intricate process takes place.

This atelier speaks more than a business making mass quantity, because as you walk around you know its not the quantity their after, it always comes down to quality. These are artists, not workers, what they do is an art and you can see by looking at their hands and the delicacy in which they treat their craft. They make a product feel like a piece so unique that it has a history and an arduous process.

Its brands like these that always remain a classic, because little do they change and they succeed thanks to what they represent. Hermès may be a high-end luxury brand, but after seeing the work, the dedication and inspiration that goes into each of their crafts one can understand why its is one of the most admired icons in fashion. Luxury is not about the fact that something is expensive, ultimately it is about the craftsmanship and detail that goes into making a truly unique piece.