Since 1837, Hermès has nurtured six generations of artisans. The ancestral craftsmen worked on making harnesses and saddles at its workshops in Paris.
Today, thousands of artisans under 16 métiers employ various skills to create Hermès "objects" from the finest materials.
Until Sunday, artisans representing eight métiers are in Bangkok for "Hermès In The Making" staged at The Pinnacle on Iconsiam's 8th Floor.
The legendary Maison launched the travelling exhibition in Copenhagen in October 2021. The seventh edition in Bangkok fascinatingly shows how Hermès objects are made to last, repaired and handed down, thanks to the artisanal techniques.
Live demonstrations, films, workshops, games and other activities are spread throughout the spacious venue.
Inspired by a craftsman's workbench, the scenography is laid out in an open-plan manner to explore four themes: preservation and transmission of know-how, respect for and quality of materials, commitment to the long term, and regional anchoring.
Thierry Quattrociocchi working on a colour for printing a silk scarf.
Visitors can learn about the saddle-making heritage as an artisan works on leather pieces and explains how they are assembled on a central saddle tree.
The seat, panels and flaps are lined, shaped and sewn using the signature saddle stitch, of which two ends of the same thread are crossed at each stitch into the leather pieces to join them together.
Each saddle is made in close collaboration with partner riders in various disciplines, such as jumping, dressage and cross-country, to meet their technical requirements and comfort.
Hermès has equipped equestrian sports champions such as Astier Nicolas, Simon Delestre and Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, whose saddles are on display besides an exhibit of the different components of the Vivace jumping saddle.
Created in the early 20th century, the very first Hermès bag, the haut à courroies, was designed to carry a saddle and riding boots.
Different components of the Hermès Vivace jumping saddle.
Today, iconic bags include Birkin, Constance and Kelly, whose quality is rendered by the dexterity of its leather workers.
Also involving the signature saddle stitch, the bag-making process is revealed at the "Working The Leather" station. A wealth of skill and know-how is deployed to assemble the 40 or so leather pieces of a Kelly bag.
Likewise, it takes different pieces of leather for hands, thumbs, between the fingers and seams to make a glove in 22 steps.
The artisan is based at Hermès Ganterie, a certified "Entreprise Du Patrimoine Vivant" (Living Heritage Company) in Saint-Junien, Limousin, where the region's glove-making tradition traces its roots to the Middle Ages.
Lyon's silk-work tradition renders highly-coveted Hermès scarves such as Le Timbalier and Animapolis, designed with 28 and 39 colours.
An engraving artist at the "Separating The Colour" workbench shares how the original design is deconstructed and manually traced onto a transparent film.
Maxence Wasselin restoring Hermès In-The-Loop bag.
A digital file created for each colour is then used to produce print frames. On average, a scarf requires 25 to 30 colours while a complex design can involve up to 48 shades.
As each screen lets only one colour through, printing the silk is an arduous process requiring precision.
A live demonstration shows the à la Lyonnaise silk screen printing process in crafting the Cavalier en Formes scarf.
Colour pigments are also on display to illustrate how Hermès artisans can mix 40 parent colours just in the right proportions to obtain 75,000 shades that they can choose to print the scarves.
Following 10 years of research, Hermès achieved a technical feat of printing two sides of the same scarf, as the colour skims the silk without ever crossing to the other side.
Silk along with a variety of leather and other high quality materials are also exhibited.
A highlight is the fragments of a rare extra-terrestrial meteorite found in North Africa. The meteorite is used for crafting the dial of the Arceau L'Heure de la Lune timepiece.
Watchmaking has been a métier since the establishment of La Montre Hermès in 1978. A watchmaker shows the patience in bringing the new Hermès H08 model to life through the mechanical self-winding movement.
Visitors can participate in the saddle-stitching workshop.
Likewise, a gem-setter precisely adorns a Chaine d'ancre bracelet with diamonds, and an artisan meticulously paints the Fauves de Nuit design on a white porcelain plate at two other workbenches.
Expertise in leatherwork is also required in repairing objects that have undergone wear and tear over time. Reworking the saddle stitch, removing scratches or refreshing the colour can enhance longevity of an Hermès bag, which is shown at the "Repairing Objects" station.
Discarded materials from the workshops are given a new lease of life by the "petit h" métier, whose creations include silk sleeping masks, earthenware jars with a leather Kelly handle, and chairs with a bull-calf seat and saddle tree backrest.
The exhibition also features films from the Footsteps Across The World collection produced by Frédéric Laffont, which depicts Hermès' unique connection with sustainable development.
A display shows the 52 production sites, organised into regional hubs, across France. Earlier this year, the company opened a new leather goods workshop, designed by French-Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh, in Louviers, Normandy.
A model of this high environmental performance project shows the wood and brick construction. The interiors are flooded with natural light to facilitate the craftsmanship of 280 artisans, who will further preserve and develop Hermès' savoir-faire.
"Hermès In The Making" runs until Sunday, at The Pinnacle on the 8th floor of Iconsiam. Pre-booking can be made on Hermès.com.
Pierre Montemezzon cutting leather to make gloves.
Learn about crafting Hermès bags at 'Working The Leather' station.
