Hermès is one of the most luxurious brands in the world, their craftsmanship is nothing but extraordinary and their crafts are some of the most coveted pieces in the world. The century-old french company was established as a harness workshop by Thierry Hermès in 1837 in Normandy, France and became one of the leading brands for luxury leather goods. The company is widely known for their iconic Birkin bag (named after Jane Birkin) or the Kelly bag (named after Grace Kelly). Hermès has decided to share their work with the rest of the world by hosting a traveling exhibit that showcases their opulent craftsmanship. A few Hermès craftsmen and artisans are currently touring the US displaying their highly-skilled work. The exhibit includes the leather making of a bag, silk printing, saddle making, silk engraving, tie making, watchmaking, setting diamond jewelry, and sewing shirts. The demonstrations at each station are so captivating, because you can see the quality behind each item, and hear it described in its native French language (obviously translated into English). However, don't expect to see a bag or a saddle be made start to finish right in front of your eyes, a typical bag can take upwards of 15 hours, or a saddle generally takes about 3 days. The screen printing of the silk scarves was one of the most interesting processes at the exhibit, because it showcases how each color is painted on the silk one at a time with giant screens for each design-item on the scarf, so detailed! I applaud Hermès for taking the time to educate people about the quality of their items and why they are so coveted around the world. Start the educational process by watching a small video showcasing the stitching of a traditional saddle.
