Hermes Debuts High-Tech Talaris Saddle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed)
Aug 10th 2010 at 2:01PM

Famed French luxury goods house Hermès may be best known for pricey fashion accessories these days, but the business began as a purveyor of equestrian items to the nobility back in 1837. The company has gone back to its roots while embracing modern technology with its latest offering, the Talaris saddle. Hermès unveiled the luxe item in conjunction with the Saut Hermès international show-jumping event it recently held at the Grand Palais in Paris. The $9,000 high-tech modular saddle features a tree made of carbon fiber and injected thermoplastic in place of the usual wood and steel, covered in the finest saddle leather. Master saddler Laurent Goblet came up with the design, aimed at taking the strain off the horse and the rider's backs. "This is at the heart of the essence of Hermès, which is about marrying tradition and innovation," the house's artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas told WWD.

Gallery: Hermes Talaris Saddle