Hermès International

In 1837 harness-maker Thierry Hermès set up a workshop on the rue Basse-du-Rempart in Paris; his harnesses won an award at the 1867 Universal Exhibition for their durability and technical quality.⁠[1]

In 1880 Charles-Émile Hermès moved the workshops to 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré and opened a store there, making harnesses and saddles to measure.⁠[1]

In 1922 Émile Hermès secured exclusive rights to a closure system he had seen on a military vehicle during a trip to Canada, now known as the zipper. The house created its first men’s ready-to-wear garment, a golf jacket, in 1925, added jewelry in 1927 and introduced watches and sandals in 1928.⁠[1]

In 1937 Robert Dumas designed the first Hermès silk scarf, “Jeu des omnibus et dames blanches.”⁠[1]

Hermès began making ties in 1949. In 1951 Robert Dumas became head of the business, succeeding his father-in-law. In 1956 a bag gained worldwide fame after Grace Kelly was photographed carrying it, and the house named it the Kelly in her honor. In 1967 the first women’s ready-to-wear collection was launched under designer Catherine Karolyi.⁠[1]

The magazine Le Monde d’Hermès first appeared in Germany in 1973 as Die Welt von Hermès. In 1976 Hermès entered shoemaking through the bootmaker John Lobb. In 1978 Jean-Louis Dumas began transforming the house, which that year also took up watchmaking under the name La Montre Hermès.⁠[1]

In 1984 Jean-Louis Dumas designed the Birkin bag for actress and singer Jane Birkin after they met on a flight. In 1987 Hermès marked its 150th anniversary with fireworks over the Pont-Neuf in Paris, beginning its tradition of an annual creative theme.⁠[1]

In 1992 the leather workshops moved from the Faubourg Saint-Honoré to Pantin, outside Paris. The silversmith Puiforcat and the Saint-Louis crystalworks joined the group in 1993 and 1995.⁠[1]

The first Maison Hermès opened on Madison Avenue in New York in 2000, followed by one in Ginza, Tokyo, in 2001; in 2002 Hermès launched an e-commerce site in the United States.⁠[1]

In 2005 Pierre-Alexis Dumas was named artistic director, and an e-commerce site launched in France. In 2006 Patrick Thomas oversaw the transition between generations, and a Maison Hermès opened in Dosan Park, Seoul. In 2008 Pierre-Alexis Dumas launched the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès to support creation, know-how, the environment and solidarity.⁠[1]

In 2010 LVMH first announced its stake in Hermès, then 14 percent and later raised to 22.6 percent. LVMH had built the position through equity swaps with several banks.⁠[2]

Following a family meeting on December 3, 2010, the Hermès family announced plans to create a family holding company, separate from Emile Hermès SARL, to hold shares transferred by family members representing more than 50% of Hermès International’s share capital, calling the family’s commitment “irrevocable”; the plan was to be submitted to the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) for final approval.⁠[3]

On December 14, 2011 the family holding company H51 was formally constituted, grouping family shareholders holding 50.2% of Hermès’s capital; LVMH then held 21.4% of Hermès.⁠[4]

In 2010 the petit h workshop was created under Pascale Mussard to make new objects from unused Hermès materials, and the first Haute Bijouterie collection debuted. In 2011 Hermès introduced home furnishing fabrics and wallpapers.⁠[1]

In 2013 Axel Dumas was appointed executive chairman of Hermès.⁠[1]

On July 1, 2013 France’s Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) fined LVMH 8 million euros for failing to properly disclose its stake-building in Hermès, finding that LVMH should have disclosed the settlement of its swap contracts in June 2010, four months before its first announcement. LVMH said it would appeal and called the sanction “unfounded.”⁠[2]

On September 3, 2014 LVMH and Hermès accepted a conciliation proposed by Frank Gentin, president of the Paris Commercial Court, and signed a settlement: LVMH would distribute all of its Hermès shares to its shareholders, and Christian Dior would pass on the shares it received to its own shareholders, after which Groupe Arnault would hold about 8.5% of Hermès International’s capital. LVMH, Dior and Groupe Arnault undertook not to acquire new Hermès shares for five years, and the distributions were to be completed by December 20, 2014.⁠[5]

On December 17, 2014 LVMH carried out the distribution at a ratio of two Hermès shares for every 41 LVMH shares; Hermès shares opened that day at 280.10 euros.⁠[6]

That year the fifth Maison Hermès opened in Shanghai.⁠[1]

In 2015 Hermès began the Apple Watch Hermès partnership with AppleAppleApple is a public technology company founded in 1976 and headquartered in Cupertino, California, United States. Its business includes the iPhone, Mac, iPad, wearables, and services such as digital content, payments, and cloud storage. The company builds its product system through in-house hardware, operating systems, and services.Open the full entry. The hermes.com website was redesigned in 2017. In 2018 Hermès International joined the CAC 40 index. In 2019 the company opened its first store in Warsaw, Poland.⁠[1]

In 2020 Hermès launched its sixteenth métier, Beauty, starting with the Rouge Hermès lip collection. In 2021 it opened its 19th leather goods workshop in Guyenne (Gironde) and founded the École Hermès des Savoir-Faire apprenticeship school.⁠[1]

In September 2025 Hermès inaugurated its 24th leather goods workshop in France, at L’Isle-d’Espagnac, expected to employ 260 artisans; further leather goods workshops are planned for Loupes in 2026, Charleville-Mézières in 2027 and Colombelles in 2028.⁠[1][7]

On February 12, 2026 Hermès International published its 2025 results: revenue of €16,002 million, up 8.9% at constant exchange rates and 5.5% at current rates; recurring operating income of €6,569 million, a 41.0% margin (40.5% in 2024); and net profit attributable to the group of €4,524 million. The group had 26,494 employees at the end of 2025.⁠[7]

By region, 2025 revenue was €6,702 million in Asia excluding Japan, €1,591 million in Japan, €3,075 million in the Americas and €3,937 million in Europe, including €1,575 million in France; leather goods and saddlery revenue was €7,070 million, up 13.1% at constant exchange rates. The company proposed a dividend of €18.00 per share.⁠[7]

Executive chairman Axel Dumas said: “In an uncertain environment, Hermès is moving into 2026 with confidence.”⁠[7]

Hermès: Official website: https://www.hermes.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[8]

YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Public channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/hermes (opens in a new window).⁠[8]