11 Things You Didn't Know About Hermes

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

From family legacy to the story behind that orange box, 11 of

the juiciest facts about the iconic French brand Hermès.
1) The name.
Thierry Hermès founded the fashion empire but the name Hermès also comes from the
Greek god of messengers and commerce

2) The house.
The house, which began as a harness and saddle maker, has been in existence for 177
years.

3) The stores.
There are 315 exclusive Hermès stores around the globe.

4) The café.
The Paris store on rue de Sèvres has a café and bookstore inside of the shop, as well as
has the only Petit h dedicated space!

5) Web-saavy.
Hermès was one of the first luxury brands to launch an e-commerce site in 2001.

6) The Kelly and Birkin.

The famous Kelly and Birkin bags are named after Grace Kelly and Jane Birkin,
respectively. (via New York Magazine)

7) The orange box.

The iconic Hermès orange boxes were originally cream colored with a gilded edging
imitating the pigskin, then mustard coloured with a brown edging. The first orange boxes
came about after the Second World War, due to a shortage of the original materials.

8) The orange box, part deux.

In 1994, Hermès received the packaging Oscar for its folding orange boxes. Today, there
are about 188 sizes of orange boxes.

9) The scarf.
The length of thread necessary for making 1,000 Hermès carrés is equal to the distance
between the Earth and the Moon!

10) The Family business.

The company's Artistic Director, Pierre Alexis Dumas is a 6th generation member of the
founding family of Hermès. (via the Business of Fashion) Dumas was not simply given his
role as Artistic Director. In fact, he has said that his father (Jean-Louis Dumas and former
Hermès Chairman) made him fight for it prove he was the right fit for the position. (via the
Wall Street Journal)

11) The philanthropic side.

The Fondation D'Enterprise Hermès was founded in 2008 by Pierre-Alexis Dumas
(President). To this day, it aids in the promotion of traditional craft skills, support for the
creative arts, a commitment to education and training, and environmental concerns.
(via Fondation D'Enterprise Hermès)