I really don’t have the pretension of being able to write accurately on Véronique Nichanian’s reign at Hermès for the last 38 years, the longest standing designer in the same position, because first of all I’ve only been in this industry for 10, but also because some journalists will have a much better vocabulary and grammatical structure than me. With approximately 150 collections designed, 76 seasons, over 6,000 silhouettes, you would think she might one day design a “less strong” collection, but no, every single time, she nails it. And last night’s final bow and final show was no exception to the rule. It wasn't an ode to her reign. It was just really great clothing, as per usual.
What I have isn’t the ability to write complicated words about a collection, but the ability to write about what an Hermès menswear silhouette feels like when you see it walking down the runway. The Hermès man feels effortlessly sexy. Not sexy as in a six pack. I mean sexy as in “in control of the situation”. And nothing feels sexier than someone who has their shit together, and yours at the same time.
He never has a logo, yet you can kind of guess it’s Hermès. Soft leather bomber jackets that quite literally melt under your hands when you touch them, well positioned pockets, the thick zip or the daring pink layering, the double breasted jacket with the Peaky Blinders chain. The Hermès man is ultimately the perfect unattainable stereotype of a man we only see on Netflix. Strong, confident, seems gentlemanlike yet has a soft side, impeccable style but never too stuck up. Does that even exist in real life?
Nichanian has never followed trends or market behaviors, and trust us, we have 10 years of data to back this up. She has imposed an Hermès style and menswear DNA so deeply that I can single handedly think of three menswear brands in different groups desperately trying to catch up. But let me tell you, it’s a hard job for them to even try.
I don’t have the secret sauce recipe, but I do see a pattern with Tagwalk’s data. Each show has a very good balance of casual wear, bomber jackets, thick knits, T shirts under leather shirts, and elegant, crisp wear. Long coats, double breasted jackets, and a good amount of elegant leathers. The kind of outfits that could go from mountaineering to board meetings and still feel totally fine. The kind of pieces that make you feel good when you wear them.
The one and only Grace Wales Bonner is now taking over from Nichanian and will show her first collection next January. Nothing could make me more excited than to see Bonner entering the majestic orange house, where creativity takes over marketing, where taking your time to nurture your collections is the only acceptable time at Hermès, and where designers are designers, not chief communication officers.
Isn’t that what fashion should be all about?
