Hermès Opened Its Newly Renovated Store On Rue de Sèvres In Paris, France

This unusual space at 17, Rue de Sèvres, on the side of the former Lutetia Swimming Pool, reopened on 5 March 2021. This unique space bathed in light invites visitors to discover the diversity of Hermès' objects in a revisited art deco setting.

To transform this listed building, the Parisian architecture agency RDAI interpreted the memory of water, playing on the complementarity of opposites, lines, colours and materials. Water and light thus inspire the shape of custom-woven rugs, the shimmering effect of a wall fabric, and the iridescent reflections of the surface of a wall. Ceramic tiles typical of the 1930s, made by ceramicists with exceptional know-how, embellish different areas of the store. Mosaics, terrazzo and floor tiles create a fresh and light-filled colour palette of blues and greens, warmed with the cream and caramel notes of enamelled lava stone countertops and crackle lacquered wood shelves.

Organic elements soften the rigour of the architecture. The three ash huts that rise towards the glass roof have been retained, as has the monumental staircase, both integral elements of this store’s identity, which first opened in 2010. With a retail space of more than 1,300 m2, it houses all sixteen Hermès métiers. Upon entry, one is immersed in the women’s and men’s silk collections. In this vast entrance lit by Grecques lighting in decorative meanders designed for Hermès in 1925, silk scarves are displayed on the wooden slats that cover the walls and undulate towards the atrium.

A little further on, a vast space dedicated to the new métier Hermès Beauty, perfumes and fashion jewellery collections leads to the café and the Chaîne d’encre bookshop, now brought together in a single area overlooking the former pool. Here, tables in ribbed glass and gold leaf combine with carbon fibre shelving to create a modern and welcoming atmosphere.

Heading downstairs and turning left, visitors will find the ready-to-wear and shoe collections for women and men, while bags and luggage and equestrian goods are set out on the right. The central hut presents objects for the home—the art de vivre, tableware and furniture collections—while the jewellery and watch collections are housed in the hut towards the back of the store. Upstairs, a warm, bright and airy salon offers a bird’s-eye view of the pool area.

In September, the store will open onto an adjacent dedicated space that will host the collections by petit h.

A selection of exclusive objects has been created to celebrate the store reopening, including Birkin, Bolide 1923 and Lindy bags in a range of aquatic shades to match the store’s colour palette, an Ex-Libris Les Parisiennes 70 scarf in vintage silk designed by Kiraz and Hugo Grygkar, and a one-of-a-kind jukebox decorated with the Quadrige au fil design by Pierre Péron, created in indigo blue and sapphire blue leather marquetry.

In the large windows overlooking Rue de Sèvres, the colourful collages by London-based artist Joe Cruz echo the atmosphere of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Inside the store, a colourful 120-metre-long fresco entitled L’Odyssée d’Hermès , designed by French artist Matthieu Cossé, unfurls around the walls. More than seventy works from the Émile Hermès collection, the house’s archives, and the Hermès collection of contemporary photographs also adorn the walls of the store.

The Hermès store on Rue de Sèvres pays tribute to the house’s creativity and know-how and invites loyal customers and new visitors to enjoy a unique experience. It brings together the abundant collections and exceptional craftsmanship of the Parisian house in a one off setting with a rive gauche spirit.

About Hermès

Since 1837, Hermès has remained faithful to its artisan model and its humanist values. The freedom to create, the constant search for beautiful materials, the transmission of savoir-faire of excellence, and the aesthetic of functionality all forge the singularity of Hermès, a house of objects created to last. An independent, family owned company, Hermès is dedicated to keeping the majority of its production in France through its 43 workshops and to developing its network of 311 stores in 45 countries. The group employs more than 15,600 people worldwide, including more than 9,700 in France, among whom nearly 5,250 are craftsmen**.

Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation family member, has been Hermès CEO since 2013. Founded in 2008, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports projects in the areas of artistic creation, training and the transmission of savoir-faire, biodiversity, and the preservation of the environment.

**As of 31^st December 2020