History of Hermès Fashion House began in 1837 in Paris with a workshop producing horse harnesses, which served only to representatives of the European nobility. The business was founded by Thierry Hermès. Later, the leather business has been passed on from generation to generation, maintaining the traditions of impeccable quality, expanding horizons and increasing fashion heritage.
In the 1900's the company began production of different goods for riding, starting from clothes for elite sport to accessories. Legendary Fashion House is justly deemed to be the founder of sports fashion, to say, sports chic, which is so trendy today.
1930's became the most plentiful years for the brand. During this period Hermès has developed several legendary products, which have become the hallmark of the Fashion House and which are still in fashion today. The main idea of the brand: "Leather, sport and traditions of understated elegance" was formed these years.
It is difficult to imagine modern clothes, shoes and accessories without such detail as usual zipper. However, in 1914 no one had idea to use this mechanism in such a way. For the first time Emile-Maurice saw zipper in Canada during a business trip and he immediately acquired the right to use zippers in his leather products and clothing from the Swedish inventor. Thus he became the first man in France, who started to use this mechanism.
In 1918 Hermès made his first legendary product ─ the first zippered leather jacket for golf (by the way, for the Prince of Wales personally). Later, leather suitcases with zippers glorified the new mechanism and the company, and French people have called zip fastener as "Hermès zipper" for a long time.
Hermès Bags – is a separate chapter in the fashion history and one of the main values of the Fashion House. Each item is unique; it is embodiment of supreme craftsmanship and traditions. All legendary Hermes bags are handmade. Production of one bag takes from 18 to 24 hours. To become the owner of such iconic bags like Kelly Bag or Birkin, you should make order to the company and wait for your turn at least two years.
Kelly Bag or bag for a true lady became popular thanks for Grace Kelly, the Hollywood actress, famous not only with canonical appearance, but also with impeccable taste. Photo of the style icon, published in Life magazine, has instantly spread around the world, and the Hermes bag became the desire of millions of women. The bag, created in 1935, had a totally different name, and became known as "Kelly Bag" only in 1956.
Later, popularity of Kelly Bag gave rise to many its variations. There were created Kelly Mini Pochette, Kelly Sellier, and Kelly Flat in the time of Jean-Paul Gautier. The modern model is performed in different versions, which differ in size, proportions, design and leather from which it is made. There is a great choice of leather from traditional to exotic ostrich, iguana, and alligator leather. Accessories can also be made of a variety of precious metals. So, the price for the handbag starts from $4000.
Later, the Fashion House has repeatedly used this PR stunt, which turned out to be a boon for the brand. In 1969, a new model of Constance bag was produced. And because another style icon, Jacqueline Kennedy, fell in love with the bag, it has been immediately called O-Bag for the married name of Jacqueline Onassis.
However, hardly anything can compare with the popularity of the famous Birkin bag. The fashion world does not know more cult item, which was called after the Anglo-French actress Jane Birkin. And, as it often happens with the legendary things, the story of its creation is also shrouded in different versions. On one of them, Jane flew in the same plane with the owner of Hermes house and accidentally scattered the content of her purse, she complained to the lack of practical women handbags.
The head of Hermès has immediately suggested the actress to create a bag for her, taking into account all her wishes. And another legendary bag of Hermes was created in 1984, and since then boom around it has been continuing unabated. Fashionistas around the world still line up for the legendary bag and are willing to pay a fortune for it. The price for the legend starts from 7,000 Euros and comes to ... infinity. The most expensive Birkin bag, sold at Christies auction for $300,000, was made of crocodile leather with degrade effect of aristocratic bright colors and framed with furniture in white gold with diamonds. Its ancestor, the model of red crocodile leather with 18-carat white gold and diamonds, was sold only two thousand dollars less in April 2016.