To transform this listed building, the Parisian architecture agency RDAI interpreted the memory of water, playing on the complementarity of opposites, lines, colours and materials.
Water and light thus inspire the shape of custom-woven rugs, the shimmering effect of a wall fabric, and the iridescent reflections of the surface of a wall. Ceramic tiles typical of the 1930s, made by ceramicists with exceptional know-how, embellish different areas of the store.
Mosaics, terrazzo and floor tiles create a fresh and light-filled colour palette of blues and greens, warmed with the cream and caramel notes of enamelled lava stone countertops and crackle lacquered wood shelves.
Organic elements soften the rigour of the architecture. The three ash huts that rise towards the glass roof have been retained, as has the monumental staircase, both integral elements of this store’s identity, which first opened in 2010. With a retail space of more than 1,300 m2, it houses all sixteen Hermès métiers. Upon entry, one is immersed in the women’s and men’s silk collections. In this vast entrance lit by Grecques lighting in decorative meanders designed for Hermès in 1925, silk scarves are displayed on the wooden slats that cover the walls and undulate towards the atrium.
A little further on, a vast space dedicated to the new métier Hermès Beauty, perfumes and fashion jewellery collections leads to the café and the Chaîne d’encre bookshop, now brought together in a single area overlooking the former pool. Here, tables in ribbed glass and gold leaf combine with carbon fibre shelving to create a modern and welcoming atmosphere.
Heading downstairs and turning left, visitors will find the ready-to-wear and shoe collections for women and men, while bags and luggage and equestrian goods are set out on the right. The central hut presents objects for the home—the art de vivre , tableware and furniture collections—while the jewellery and watch collections are housed in the hut towards the back of the store. Upstairs, a warm, bright and airy salon offers a bird’s-eye view of the pool area.
In the large windows overlooking Rue de Sèvres, the colourful collages by London-based artist Joe Cruz echo the atmosphere of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Inside the store, a colourful 120-metre-long fresco entitled L’Odyssée d’Hermès, designed by French artist Matthieu Cossé, unfurls around the walls. More than seventy works from the Émile Hermès collection, the house’s archives, and the Hermès collection of contemporary photographs also adorn the walls of the store.
The Hermès store on Rue de Sèvres pays tribute to the house’s creativity and know-how and invites loyal customers and new visitors to enjoy a unique experience. It brings together the abundant collections and exceptional craftsmanship of the Parisian house in a one offsetting with a rive gauche spirit.
