Hermès opens its sixth boutique in London, more specifically, at 166 New Bond Street, spanning six buildings and two thousand square metres. Carefully selected artworks trace the history of the Maison in the United Kingdom across rooms designed to envelop visitors in the world of Hermès.
Designed by Parisian architecture agency RDAI under the supervision of artistic director Denis Montel, the building preserves details from the original construction, which began in 1769, while introducing contemporary elements. At the main entrance, the flooring features Hermès’s signature ex-libris embedded in the Faubourg pattern. A spiral staircase with a calfskin-finished handrail leads to a steel-and-glass-roofed atrium, while mirrored glass encases Manchester bricks on the south wall.
Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès, helped select the artworks displayed at the location. Unique pieces accentuate the decor, complementing heritage photographs, illustrations and designs. British artist Jessica Wheterly was commissioned to create a horse sculpture for the space. Every element is carefully curated to work in tandem with the spirit of the house.
An illusory orangerie, with feature walls designed by illustrator Katie Scott, can be found at the second entrance, which houses jewellery, beauty and perfumes. Rooms are dedicated to various métiers: on the first floor, red-toned rooms create a backdrop for leather goods, while homeware is displayed across five spaces with hexagonal oak parquet. Overlooking the atrium, a space dedicated to the equestrian collection is enhanced by straw and horsehair marquetry shaped into boiserie. Yellow Sienna marble skirting and bespoke cloth-finished walls provide a bright, inviting area to display watches and jewellery as they glimmer in the sunlight.
Powder-pink mineral mortar ceilings, wood panelling and English floral motif carpeting define the second floor, where the women’s shoe area is located. Private salons leading to the women’s ready-to-wear area are decorated with original nineteenth-century mosaic floors, while the walls flow through different shades of pink. On the men’s side, oak floors, geometric detailing and cherrywood-panelled ceilings appear alongside dark blue Lancashire-made wall coverings. On the third floor, leather artisans create pieces designed to be bought, used and eventually passed on. The Émile Hermès Collection is displayed on the private fourth floor. On the top floor, visitors will find rooftop lounges and two gardens.
To celebrate the opening, a whimsical window installation by British artist Kate Jenkins will showcase an imaginary horse-grooming parlour, The Rocabarn, crafted with crochet, knit and embroidery. Limited pieces have also been designed for the opening, including colourful leather goods, jewellery, watches, perfume, leather-handled gardening tools, the A Walk in the Garden tea trunk, a guitar-appliquéd Hac à Dos backpack and more.
The new Hermès boutique gathers colour, craft and historical detail into a space designed for discovery, extending the Maison’s world across the layered architecture of Bond Street.
