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The Kelly before and beyond its famous name
A design from the 1930s became associated with Grace Kelly, then developed a life across scales and materials.
An object, closely read
Iconic Creations
What makes a shape stay with us? Begin with a creation, then follow its documented story: the idea, the details and the meanings people bring to it. Look beyond recognition to discover what deserves a second glance. Read each object in its own context, with clear distinctions between its origins, later versions and the stories told about it.
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The Birkin from a practical brief to a personal object
Jane Birkin’s surviving original reveals the difference between an origin story, a prototype and a design family.
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An invisible part of the collection
Perfume connects Hermès heritage to memory, place and authorship, from Eau d’Hermès to Barénia.
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Time, metal and the room
How watches, jewelry, furniture and petit h reveal different ways of translating a design vocabulary.
Objects, closely read
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Chaîne d’ancre: what makes a chain a jewel?
A mooring chain becomes a bracelet: looking at Robert Dumas’s Chaîne d’ancre through movement, repetition and a change of scale.
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Arceau: a watch drawn in motion
Henri d’Origny’s 1978 Arceau turns a strap attachment and leaning numerals into a distinctive way of imagining time.
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Terre d’Hermès: two authors, one encounter
Jean-Claude Ellena’s fragrance and Philippe Mouquet’s bottle approach the same idea through different materials.
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Petit h: when a saddle tree becomes a guitar
A guitar offers a concrete way into petit h’s materials-first method, where an existing structure can suggest a different use.
More creations, closely read
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Constance: a letter that does a job
A sliding strap and a working H clasp give the Constance a history of movement, beyond the familiarity of its initials.
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Evelyne: the useful space inside an H
A perforated letter, an unlined interior and a shoulder strap preserve a working relationship with the stable.
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Picotin: a feed bag becomes a new design
Introduced in 2002, the Picotin translates an equestrian container into a bag whose material and opening do much of the talking.
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Haut à courroies: room for a changing journey
Around 1900, a bag for equestrian equipment began a story of travel, volume and enduring fastening details.