My key impression of the Hermes Fall 2011 photos was : This shit is for rich people who want you to know it. The outfits scream. “Fuck you! I have money!”
Other designers also reek of big money but at least it’s money with creativity or daring of some kind. The Hermes woman must be determined to remind us that she is upper class and super-wealthy.
I was pleased to find my impression supported by an article about Hermes and its dread of being available to the masses like that crass Louis Vuitton.
The Hermes family is militantly opposed to being controlled by LVMH, which now owns 17% of the company.
“There is a part of our world that is playing on abundance, on glitz and glamour,” Patrick Thomas, the Hermès’s chief executive, said during an interview the week before Mr. Galliano was fired. “And there is another part that is concentrated on refinement, and basically making beautiful objects.”
God forbid that Hermes ever make an affordable line of handbags. It would be the end of Hermes, Mr. Thomas declares. “It’s not a financial fight, because we would lose that. It’s a cultural fight.”
It seems particularly obnoxious, given the state of the world today, for this kind of class conflict among luxury brands. I’m beginning to hate the rich more than I used to. They don’t want to be taxed, they don’t want anyone to afford their stupid handbags, but they have nothing to offer us as a culture or society.
Fuckers. I hope Berhard Arnault takes over Hermes. “Refinement” is just elitism in their definition, and it’s time for the super rich to be ashamed of their extravagance. Let them not eat cake.
Amen!
Can’t really add anything to that, you’ve said it all.
I will add though that the outfit in that photo is shit anyways and I wouldn’t even look at it even if it was affordable.
Really, is it a pre-requisite of designer stuff that it has to look ridiculous?
That’s probably the most expensive camel-toe I’ll see all day.
SW you’re right, they’re repellent. I used to know a girl who was really proud to work for Hermes. She was a shop girl, and she used to boast about the scarves she’d save up weeks of wages for… I used to think it was really odd, but I guess she just really believed the crap moneyism the company preached at her all day.
Yes! Let them not eat cake! They can keep their handbags, and their “cultural” fight!
Beyonce will wear that coat with the Isabel Marant boots. I just figured it out.
YES! YES! YES!
I swear if they pull those pants up any higher, they will split her lady garden in half. They make me wanna go : “WEDGIEEEE”
When I think of Hermes, I think of my dog. He is awesome and we called him that after the messenger of the gods. His fur is shinier than yours, Monsieur Arnault, so no cake for you!
Sorry, can’t agree with you on this one. Have you ever gone into an Hermes store? The quality of their materials and craftsmanship is incredible. In a world filled with badly made, disposable crap I like knowing that such quality still exists. I’d much rather very high-priced items be that way because they are flawlessly made than because the designer thinks they have some grand vision that will change the world of fashion. One is rooted in a tangible quality, the other is based on (usually false) visions of grandeur and self-importance.
Louis Vuitton epitomises the pretence of luxury to me, whereas Hermes actually makes very lovely things. I am content knowing that they’re there, even if I can’t afford them.
There’s a relevant quote somewhere on my twitter feed in response to this.
Alexandra – Haha you must work for Hermes!
To tell the truth, I hate both Hermes AND Luis Vuitton. Also Coach.
That wedgie looks painful, and WTF she has on her head? Some hybrid between a pickelhaube and a riding top?
I am with Alexandra, their stuff is beautifully made.
I believe that camel toe thing is what the ladies at got fug yourself used to call a poulter wang.
Haha, does what I said really sound so fake? If my defensive comment was suspiciously lengthy it’s because I’m genuinely surprised at your hatred toward them. Usually your mockery targets overpriced badly designed crap – although in the case of this particular outfit that is certainly applicable – but I think Hermes doesn’t on the whole deserve that label. Then again, I haven’t looked at this season’s runway pictures, and if they’re all as bad as the one you posted…. yikes.
pshh even Hermes can wind up in a thrift store for us poor folk, i have a vintage cardigan i bought for all of $2.50… 😉
While I agree with Alexandra and Patni that Hermes’s quality is pretty well flawless…so is that of LL Bean or a self-commissioned pair of Italian leather boots from an independent craftsman.
This all depends on your definition of quality. Hermes is quality via dictation: ie, “this is what you want because it’s good, will last, and is of quality.” Even the finest handbag has no right on the planet to be nearly-mass produced (by hand and done well, but in vast multiples nonetheless) for over $15,000. It’s crass, and by extension Hermes has gained an opportunistic, middling stodginess. It’s pretty sick that a woman who couldn’t even drive correctly (Kelly) and a womanchild who preferred to carry her necessities in a cheap basket (Birkin) have helped sell these overpriced fairytales to legions of insecure snobs.
why are my comments being blocked?
Goodness. Making Hermes bags affordable would almost be like Smythson of Bond Street spreading the embossed stationary love. When our good Prime Minister’s (really? no, not really.) wife Samantha Cameron was formally creative director there (& now part-time consultant) … surely they wouldn’t actually BURN all of their old stock so that it couldn’t go on sale to the masses. Surely not? I wonder if now, they don’t burn it but instead they just say CUT IT UP. MORE CUTS. MORE CUTS!
Sister Wolf, according to CNBC Hong Kong (I watched the same news loop for almost six hours), it’s only a matter of time.
Wow Sister. Spot on, as usual.
I think it is just a matter of time before people go out with the currency of the moment glued to their bodies. And their feet strapped to gold bars. Leaving a flurry of impressive bank statements in their wake.
I don’t think Hermes need dread the masses – nothing particularly worth imitating in that photo. Being super rich does seem rather dull if it means dressing like that.
Call me a snob, but I do think Hermes’ quality is superb and shopping at their store is such a delightful experience. No, I don’t work for them. But you know, I like the idea of working really, really hard for something I want, saving up and getting it. Why must every brand be mass marketed and for the every man? Great brands have been degraded by people who have no knowledge of what they’re buying or why they like it. I’m not a fan of that photo and even if I had money shooting out of my nose, there would be some things I would flat out refuse to buy. But I like that Hermes has managed to keep an elite status.
I bet that coat is really soft but can you imagine how dirty it would get ? I have a bone leather jacket that I need to clean constantly but white shearling ?? wow!
I totally get the superb quality thing and I will plunk down my five bucks to buy it when it ends up at the thrift shop.
I would think quality has a celing and after that its just BS – like this one is okay, this one is good, this one is awesome, but this one was made with the breath of angels as they danced, and this one is made from the gods themselves…Really ???
Too bad for us plebes.
I can’t read anymore before I knaw my own knuckles off.
The three H’s; Here Here Hortense!
My comment didn’t get published – is this due to the site being down?
Anyway whatever I said has been superseded by Hortense although annemarie’s orgasmic cries of yes in agreement are top notch too.
Hermes used to make saddles, who could afford nice saddles in the past in France? people who had horses. Who had horses?
anyway, for my part, I admire Hermes but they are out of my ligue and yes I do agree with SW they scream bourgeoisie, chic, rich. They should be allowed on display in a museum ONLY because of their quality. Who wear these things? people who have money and don’t take the subway. Sorry, but “les signes exterieures de richesse” are very dangerous and you could get attacked by just showing your richness off unless you have a chauffeur…
signe exterieur de richesse? screaming of bourgeoise, chic , rich? it onyy screams supreme quality to me. would it look that way if it was designed by h&m? and yes, h&m wouldnt even design it, it’s too sophisticated for the average trendy customer.
hermès is an exterior sign of grace. unless its a ‘h’ logo belt-which the h&m customer goes after to pretend to be rich.
I thought I left a comment yesterday? Where has it gone? 🙁
Thanks for your comment, Sister! it made me smile. I wish I was drugged. When I think Hermes I think superiority and luxury. I actually like the elitism and pretentiousness of the brand! It makes it more desirable and special. I have an attatchment / nostalgia for Hermes as I used to know this Greek man with long greasy unwashed hair, who never showered and lived in squaller. He would wear (authentic) head to toe Hermes looks covered in dandruff. He was completely unaware that he was the antithesis of the essence of the brand and it was amazing. He wasn’t like a person who was calculated grunge, trying to be cool by contrasting the label with their own appearance; he just genuinely loved Hermes. He was also very greedy, rude and supremacist himself at times. So maybe he did have the Hermes spirit..
There is a worse sin than being classist: being dead boring. While I can appreciate the craftsmanship, no Hermes item has ever made me gasp from being in the presence of the sublime. (I mean, boxy Birkins and horse bits? Let me get out my smelling salts.)
All this talk about the dangers of brand dilution and framing it as a “cultural fight” (hahahahahaha) is hogwash. What Patrick Thomas really means is “If Hermes created a diffusion line, there would be nothing for the middle-class to fetishize about anymore.”
I am totally getting you that hat. ugh.
Miss M, I have a scarf I got for 99c, and a pair of shoes that were $6. Well made stuff lasts longer!!!
although… I will say as ‘fashion” their clothes are kind of blah. They should stick to really rich old lady style.
James’s Greek man = <3. There's always one exception to every brand demographic. Like Margiela being for cool, smart, minimalist people or something even though SeaofShoes wears it.
whoa hortense! grace kelly had a stroke the day she died in the accident!
As for Hermes, does it really matter? The people who pay 40,000 dollars get what they deserve. whatever that is, in the end, I don’t know…but its not for me!
Dear Hermes,
You cannot be a publicly traded company (i.e. depend on shareholders’ money) and still expect to be treated like a privately-owned business. Just because your shit is absurdly expensive doesn’t mean you are the mandate of heaven.
Sincerely,
D
All I can see in that photo is the camel toe. No one should be walking around like that.
You’re right, Sister. Hermes is an elitist club. “Refinement” is elitism in their definition, which is again nothing but well concealed prejudice and discrimination.
“Making beautiful objects” should know no barriers.
PS: The quality does not justify the pricetag in this case. Compare an Ann Demeulemeester jacket to one of Hermes. Unfortunately, the mythos behind the company is too strong in the minds of most.
signes exterieures de richesse include everything that scream rich. I was able to recognize a pair of hermes boots, not the equestrian style, I knew they were hermes and I was not very familiar with this designer. believe me they are in that category, like it or not Anouk!
Who takes the subway with hermes boots? nobody!
oh I forgot also, SNOB TO THE MAX!
Remeber the 80s chant ‘Eat the Rich’? I find this richy rich image hillarious. It’s so predictable. An image so stereotypical it even has an accent associated with it.
Call me a boring elitist but I like the Hermes Kelly and Birkin bags. It’s the style I like. If there was a cheaper one with the same sort of quailty I’d buy it.
I just read in Canadian shelter magazine “House & Home” that Hermes opened a huge furnishings and “lifestyle” store. They are hyperventilating about how beautiful, special, and super-duper extra everything is. The magazine rarely has a picture of a sofa for less than $8000, although they throw in IKEA for the masses every now and then. Oh, Hermes has also a new line of some small stuff done recycling some other Hermes stuff ??? The line is managed by some young Hermes family member. How revolutionary.
Stacy – You boring elitist
James – Hahahahahahaa! I feel I can see him and smell him. Excellent descriptive powers, A+!
Hortense – She has ruined Margiela for me, not that I loved it in the first place.
Aja – Snob!
I knew you’d say that! xoxo
To Ali about Grace Kelly:
Yeah, it was meant to be sort of a horrid crack at her, cause I hate her stupid shiny face, tragically dead or not. Most everyone who ever rode in a car with Princess Grace Purse has gone on record to say she drove like a fiend, though, if that makes the attempted joke any less tasteless.
Hortense – And I just read that she was a tramp, easiest lay in Hollywood. I find that gratifying.
I would say Hermes’ leather goods which are superb and deserve all the credit and adulation they get, should be separated from this rather heinous outfit. The collection by Christophe Lemaire was a dud for me and to be honest, Hermes’ ready to wear isn’t really on the same level as their leather goods.
Yes, this outfit does send out a cocky repugnant message but I respect Hermes’ stance with regards to their product mainstay which are those $10,000 bags…
im all for quality but i dont think any handbag is worth over $10,000, i dont care how beautifully its made. i must be a total pleb.
just my two cents!