Hermes Showcases Craft In New Exhibit

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed)
Feb 5th 2011 at 10:01AM

Luxury brand Hermès is known for its craftsmanship. It is one of the reasons that we awarded it the Luxist Awards' Editors' Choice Award for Best in Accessories last year and the reason that the Birkin bag has become one of the world's most coveted luxury posessions. That craftsmanship is on display at a new Hermès festival, The Festival of Crafts, that begins on the west coast at The Bravern in Bellevue, Washington on February 23 through February 28. From there the festival will travel to Chicago, Washington D.C. and then abroad offering a glimpse behind the scenes at how the beautiful objects that Hermès fashions come together.

The Festival of Crafts highlights several of techniques of Hermès crafts, ranging from silk scarf printing to the "saddle stitch" at the foundation of the Hermès handbag design. Hermès opened in Paris in 1837 as a maker of harnesses and saddles and the legacy of the original craftsmen still forms the core of the brand. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet today's Hermès' craftsmen and artisans and learn a specific technique of his or her highly-skilled trade in an interactive environment. The skills on display include the leather making of a bag, silk printing, saddle making, silk engraving, tie making, watchmaking, setting diamond jewelry, making shirts and making gloves. The Festival of Crafts will open in Seattle on February 23 through February 28; in Chicago from March 11 to March 16; and in Washington D.C. from March 25 to March 30. The hours are from 11:00a.m to 6:00p.m.