USA: FASHION - French company, Hermes puts its tradition of craftsmanship on display

Record ID: 644392

  • Title: USA: FASHION - French company, Hermes puts its tradition of craftsmanship on display
  • Date: 13th September 2012
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 05, 2012) (REUTERS) LEATHER PIECES FOR A KELLY BAG ON TABLE VARIOUS COLOURS OF THREAD/CLOSE COLOURFUL COTTON REELS MAN STITCHING KELLY BAG (SOUNDBITE) (English) PIERRE GROSTERRIN, HERMES CRAFTSMAN, SAYING: "The name of the bag is a Kelly - it takes about, between 18 and 20 hours to make the entire bag. All the parts are of course made in France and it's one craftsman makes the bag from beginning to the end." GROSTERRIN EXPLAINING THE MAKING OF THE BAG GROSTERRIN MAKING BAG AS CROWD WATCHES GROSTERRIN WORKING ON HANDLE FOR THE KELLY BAG (SOUNDBITE) (English) PIERRE GROSTERRIN, HERMES CRAFTSMAN, SAYING: "For the Kelly, the hardest part is the handle - the handle by itself takes about four hours. It's - one part, but we don't see, but it was five different layers of leather inside, so we have to glue each by one and then you have to sandpaper and then punch the holes where you can stitch, and the stitching takes, I would say, about an hour." EXTERIOR OF FESTIVAL DES METIERS PEOPLE LOOKING AT SILK SCARFS SCARF MAKER SKETCHING DESIGN VARIOUS SHOTS OF SILK SCARF BEING PRINTED (3 SHOTS) WATCHES ON DISPLAY CRAFTSMAN MAKING WATCH CLOSE UP OF WATCH BEING CONSTRUCTED NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 07, 2012) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BOB CHAVEZ, CEO OF HERMES U.S., SAYING: "We're still making products the way we made them 175 years ago and we're still totally committed to that hand-crafted quality. And yes, I know sometimes product availability isn't always there, but part of that is because we are still committed to that hand-craftsmanship and we try to continue to bring in and train new people each and every year, which we do, however, we're not going to change our commitment to that process." NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 05, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HORSE SADDLE ON DISPLAY (2 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 28th September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Fashion
  • Reuters ID: LVA288C4N30I9E7LT56FI2ZHPQP1
  • Story Text: While the advancement of technology is transforming the world we live in, one thing it hasn't changed is the way Hermes makes their products.
    The horse was the French company's first customer 175 years ago, with craftsworkers constructing everything from saddles to harness. From there, as the world evolved, the company began making luggage.
    One-hundred years later in 1937, the company made their first scarf and what is now known as the "Kelly" bag, renamed after Princess Grace Kelly famously used the bag to shield her pregnant belly. Ties and fragrance soon followed.
    In 1984 the Birkin bag was created to answer the needs of Jane Birkin. The British singer was sitting next to the company's CEO on a flight a complained about not having a proper weekend bag. The popularity of the bag grew again in the 90's when it was featured on an episode of "Sex and The City."
    Now the company sells 14 different m�iers which range from crystal, fine jewelry, watches and even accepts custom orders.

    "We're still making products the way we made them 175 years ago and we're still totally committed to that hand-crafted quality. And yes, I know sometimes product availability isn't always there, but part of that is because we are still committed to that hand-craftsmanship and we try to continue to bring in and train new people each and every year, which we do, however, we're not going to change our commitment to that process," said Bob Chavez, CEO of Hermes U.S.
    As a part of its 175 anniversary celebration, Hermes is putting their crafts men and women on display at an event dubbed, Festival des Metiers. Longtime Hermes employee Pierre Grosterrin explained the process of constructing the iconic "Kelly" bag.

    "It takes about, between 18 and 20 hours to make the entire bag. All the parts are of course made in France and it's one craftsman makes the bag from beginning to the end," he said.
    It takes roughly three years in a special school to learn how to hand make leather goods. From there, Hermes then trains craftsmen and women for another one to two years.
    Grosterrin said the toughest part of making the "Kelly" is the handle.

    "By itself takes about four hours. It's - one part, but we don't see, but it was five different layers of leather inside, so we have to glue each by one and then you have to sandpaper and then punch the holes where you can stitch, and the stitching takes, I would say, about an hour," he explained.
    Leather goods and silk scarves are the company's most successful items.
    Each scarf is created after being hand drawn from a painting, which can take up to 600 hours depending on how many layers of color are needed. Once completed crafts workers layer on the various colors, one by one.
    Since 1937 more than 2,000 silk designs have been created, each season 10 new scarves are released.
    The festival also featured silk tie and shirt makers, a watch maker and a crafts women from the company's fine jewelry department constructing one of Hermes legendary cuffs. The bracelet, the Collier de Chien, was designed in 1970 features 999 diamonds and retails for nearly $500,000 U.S. dollars.
    The price to own a handcrafted item from Hermes isn't cheap, but Chavez said it's worth the investment: "If you're going to buy one scarf, buy one beautiful well made scarf that's going to last you a lifetime, because it will last you a lifetime and it will take on a vintage feel."
    The Festival des Metiers will travel to San Francisco, California and Houston, Texas before heading to China.
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