This week is all about couture but did you know that alongside the gowns, there’s also the haute joaillerie to be wowed by? Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Boucheron, Chanel and the rest all showcase their top-tier diamonds, pearls and rubies; quite frankly, the frocks are small fry compared to this finery. (more…)
Is this the ultimate in upcycling? For the next eight days, you might get a shock if you amble into Hermes’ New Bond Street store for a silk tie or scarf. The entire ground floor has been hijacked by ‘Petit h’, the luxe, upcycling arm of Hermes, for a unique selling exhibition. (more…)
What’s all this talk about craft fatigue? What a load of nonsense, I’ve only just got started! Some might say that the thrill of seeing the skills at the heart of the world’s most luxurious handbags, scarves and watches is starting to tire but I hope that’s not the case. I love getting the inside secrets to age-old processes and that’s exactly what you’ll get when you visit the Hermes Festival Des Metiers exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. (more…)
“It takes two years to make and two minutes to buy!” So says Kamel Hamadou, the affable communications manager of Hermès silk, hosting a rare tour of the company’s silk printing facilities in Lyon. Two weeks ago I was invited on a whirlwind trip to learn the many meticulous stages of making one of those familiar silk ‘carrés’ of which I’m the proud owner of a few, neatly folded and stored in their equally familiar flat orange boxes.
My most astonishing discovery? The utter complexity of printing involved in a silk scarf of many colours. The average scarf has around 30 colours, of which each shade has its own precise mixing process. The printing itself has to be seen to be believed, but next week, you’ll have the chance to see it all when Hermès’ Festival Des Metiers lands on the London leg of its world tour. (more…)
