First Hermès boutique opens in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - Following its success as one of the top luxury brands in the world, Hermès is opening its very first store in Manila under Luxury Concepts, Inc., a subsidiary of Stores Specialists, Inc., in December 2009. The contract of agreement was signed on Feb. 5 by Anton T. Huang, executive vice president of Stores Specialists, Inc.; and Hermès executives Christian Blanckaert, executive vice president, international affairs; Beatriz González-Cristóbal, executive vice president, distribution; and Thierry Outin and Bertrand Michaud, managing directors, Asia Pacific.

The Hermès boutique was designed by Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure (RDAI) and will be located in the upscale Greenbelt 3 Mall. RDAI, a well-known European architectural firm, is related to the Hermès family through Robert Dumas-Hermès and Jean-Louis Dumas-Hermès, fourth and fifth generations of the house, respectively. The firm designed the Manila boutique in coordination with the Hermès theme and style as they have done with the brand’s stores in Sydney, Tokyo, Singapore, New York, Milan and the flagship store in Paris.

The Manila boutique will carry a wide range of Hermès products consisting of silk accessories (scarves and ties), fashion accessories (bangle bracelets and belts), leather goods (small leather goods and handbags), men’s and ladies’ fashion (shoes, hats, gloves and ready-to-wear), equestrian (saddles, whips, accessories, ready-to-wear), jewelry (silver and gold), Art de Vivre (home ware from garden tools to home décor), men’s and ladies’ watches, infant’s toys and clothes and other miscellaneous products that are all crafted with the finest artistry and materials available.

In 1837, Thierry Hermès started his modest business as a Parisian harness- and saddle-maker with a passion for perfection. After taking over in 1880, his son Charles-Èmile Hermès moved the family’s saddlery to 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Hermès’ now famous flagship store. Six generations of entrepreneurial craftsmen with creative loyalty to the essential values handed down by its founders conquered new markets and allowed the company to grow. As respectful of the past as they were open to the future, they passed on to their successors the reverential tradition for fine materials simply worked, the love of work well done and made to last, and the impetus to carry on making new creations.