Celebrating its iconic signature piece, Parisian fashion label Hermès makes the latest addition to the pop-up shop scene with two temporary locations in Shoreditch and West London. The stores, branded J'aime mon carré - or I love my scarf are set to coincide with a collaboration with photographer Matt Irwin in an exploration of different style tribes around the world.
The new project introduces a young and quirky take on the old world tradition of the Hermès ethos, with the four girls from different cities featured in Matt Irwin's photography showing the role that the Hermès scarves play in their lives. Also a website, the series features street-style portraits of the girls wearing the scarves in numerous ways, giving Hermes aficionados inspiration for how to wear their own.
In this video, Crane.tv catches up with and Fiona Rushton, Communications Director of Hermes UK to find out what has made the brand so influential and has kept its fan base growing and evolving over the years.
"Hermès always looks forward; it always has throughout its history. It has always been about travel and voyage and going forward all the time. So there really is a spirit within the company that is very fun"
Indeed the brand, now over 173 years old, has been renowned for its quality and its understated innovation, with events like this one encouraging more people to acknowledge its constant reinvention. This is the latest in the rich tapestry of Hermes' history, starting with founder Theirry Hermès in 1837 as a crafter of bespoke harnesses. Now their repertoire is a rich and varied one coveted by lovers of luxury all over the world.
Designer, Henry Holland explains the appeal of the scarf especially to Crane.tv, as something to add to an outfit to immediately add to your individuality. The shops have Hermès staff on hand to teach customers how to tie knots and drape the scarves in a variety of interesting and original ways, style moments that can be preserved with in-house photographers. The Shoreditch branch opened from November 18 to 21 and the West London shop will be open from November 25 for four weeks.