The true heart of Hermès leather-making isn't a Birkin or a Kelly. It's a saddle

Vancouver Sun

24-04-2025

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Paris is a memorable city. One made even more so, it turns out, with the addition of horses.
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The capital of France, which sees some 50 million tourists visit each year, is home to many iconic landmarks, must-see museums, delicious food, and world-renowned fashion brands.
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And for a few days this spring, the City of Lights was also home to Saut Hermès, an international equestrian competition.
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Set in the Grand Palais on March 21-23, the 15th edition of the show-jumping tournament brought horses to the heart of Paris with temporary stables erected directly beside the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées.
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Inside the tented rows, oversized orb-shaped lighting bathed the stalls in a warm, soft glow while large swaths of faux turf provided a soft footing for the equine athletes to make their way to the competition arena.
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Riders of the Paris Metro disembarking at a nearby station were greeted with a glimpse of the horses warming up in a small sand arena located directly beside the entrance of the busy transit station.
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While handbags such as the Birkin or Kelly have long been coveted leather goods from the luxury French house, there is another design at the heart of its leather creation — the saddle.
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'We often say at Hermès that the horse was Hermès' first client. (Former Hermès Chairman) Jean-Louis Dumas used to say this,' says Chloé Nobecourt, director of the Hermès Equestrian Métier. 'And actually it is very true. Hermès was founded in 1837 as a harness maker. And saddles arrived right after.'
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Thierry Hermès started the brand as a small harness-making shop in Paris, setting out to create horsewear that was lightweight and refined — a stark contrast to the heavy, decorated designs that were popular at the time.
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'For two main reasons,' Nobecourt explains. 'The first was to free the horse's movement. And the second was to reveal its beauty.'
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From that simple ambition, a multibillion-dollar brand has been built, applying that same approach of good design, simplicity and quality to a vast array of product categories.
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'Still today, this founding principle of functionality, lightness, elegance of movement as we like to say, and comfort are still embedded in every creation that we make,' says Nobecourt.
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Located at 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the flagship store of Hermès is a hub of both retail, history and creation for the brand.
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Around the corner from the Faubourg Saint Honoré store, through a big set of wooden doors reachable only after passing through a security checkpoint, many of the brand's standout pieces are made. Unbeknownst to many, this downtown Paris location has long been an epicentre of creation for the brand, including its made-to-measure saddles.