Between silk scarves, sophisticated ready-to-wear offerings, and a range of masterfully crafted leather pieces, Herm&egrave;s stays on top&mdash;all while paying homage to its roots.&nbsp;

It may be the oldest luxury label in the industry, but over its nearly 200-year history, the maison has consistently managed to not only stay ahead of the ebb and flow of trends, but more often than not, set them. The brand has a cult following, to be sure, what with decades of sophisticated, visionary ready-to-wear garments presented on the runway and a wide array of the most coveted accessories in the industry&mdash;between the handbags and the scarves, need we say more? While the casual fan may know <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/travel-living/herbert-guerrand-hermes-sothebys-auction-paris-marie-antoinette-versailles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herm&egrave;s</a> best for the Birkin and the Kelly, the culture behind the maison is expansive and historic.&nbsp;
When Herm&egrave;s introduced its very first product back in 1837&mdash;the classic leather harness&mdash;in a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/travel-living/what-to-do-in-paris-trip-inspiration-travel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Parisian</a> workshop, its long tradition of excellence, masterful craftsmanship, and refined luxury was born. In the decades that followed, the label's founder, Thierry Herm&egrave;s, brought his son Charles-&Eacute;mile Herm&egrave;s into the business. Charles-&Eacute;mile expanded offerings to include custom saddles alongside the iconic harnesses, and brought the label to 24 Faubourg Saint-Honor&eacute;, the maison's very first retail location. Not long after, the Herm&egrave;s name was known throughout Europe, launching it to the forefront of the industry.&nbsp;
As Charles-&Eacute;mile's son &Eacute;mile took the helm of the maison, he introduced a wide range of leather offerings, including the label's now-iconic bags&mdash;which began to feature a zipper closure in 1922 after a particularly inspirational trip to North America, where he saw it in use on cars. In 1925, &Eacute;mile changed the landscape of the maison when he introduced the label's first ready-to-wear <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/grace-wales-bonner-hermes-menswear-creative-director" target="_blank" rel="noopener">menswear</a> garment, a men's golf jacket. Not long after, Herm&egrave;s began creating luxury jewelry, watches, and leather sandals. Beyond his expansion of the Herm&egrave;s products, &Egrave;mile was also a dedicated collector of art, antiques, and literature, and his archives have since been a source of profound inspiration to the generations that followed.
Robert Dumas, &Eacute;mile's son-in-law, created the label's first <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/history-of-the-hermes-carre-scarf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">silk scarf</a> in 1937, marking the beginning of a rich and crucial period of Herm&egrave;s' history. In 1951, Dumas took over as the head of the maison, where he continued to dream up many of the house's most memorable offerings, including the Kelly bag. Though he had launched the silhouette back in the '30s, a photograph of <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/grace-kelly-style-inspiration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grace Kelly</a>, legendary actress and Princess of Monaco, carrying the handbag in 1956, launched the style to new heights.&nbsp;

Grace Kelly holding the Kelly bag in 1958. Getty Images.

Across the next decades, the maison expanded its influence, with an artfully crafted new storefront, fresh jewelry offerings, and the launch of the women's ready-to-wear line in 1967&mdash;designed by Catherine Karolyi, who also introduced the iconic H-buckle belt.&nbsp;
In 1978, Dumas' son, Jean-Louis, took over leadership, bringing with him a range of new ventures and innovations&mdash;notably, to Herm&egrave;s' watches, shoes, silver, and crystal offerings&mdash;over the course of several decades. 1984 marks a particularly important year in the maison's history: the chance meeting of Jean-Louis and Jane Birkin on an airplane. Inspired by her grace, charm, and allure, Jean-Louis designed <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/original-birkin-bag-sothebys-auction-paris-details" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a bag</a> that would encompass all of her everyday needs, and titled the iconic silhouette the Birkin bag.&nbsp;

Jane Birkin with her Birkin bag in Paris in 2009. Getty Images.

In the years that followed, Herm&egrave;s continued to uphold its standards of quality craftsmanship, classically sophisticated designs, and creative expansion, bringing its trailblazing legacy into each and every new venture. In the 21st century, the maison is still regarded as one of the most powerful, storied forces in fashion thanks to its unique design philosophies and all-encompassing embrace of artistry in all of its forms.&nbsp;
Below, discover some of Herm&egrave;s' most iconic design signatures that blend the label's heritage with contemporary sartorial sensibilities.&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Classic H&egrave;rmes Orange</h2>

The unique shade of orange, formulated specifically by the maison, became a staple of the Herm&egrave;s identity in the mid-1940s. The hue, iconic, vibrant, and joyful, quickly became a recognizable element of the label's branding, driving today's fashion fanatics and casual fans alike to covet that unmistakable orange in all of its forms&mdash;handbags, accessories, and yes, even packaging.&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Horse Logo</h2>

A display from the interior of the Wall Street Hermès store in 2007. Getty Images.

The exterior of a Hermès store in Paris in 2013. Getty Images.

Paying homage to its roots, Herm&egrave;s continues to use the iconic horse and carriage logo, though in recent years, it has expanded its offerings featuring horses to include miniature <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/accessorize-everything-you-own-with-charms-jane-birkin-tiktok-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bag charms, &agrave; la Jane Birkin</a>, graphic t-shirts, and accessories. Of course, the maison also continues to lead the equestrian industry with saddles, harnesses, blankets, brushes, bits, and leads, among other items.&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Precious Leather</h2>

A crocodile Hermès Birkin bag in 2007. Getty Images.

A green ostrich Hermès Constance bag in 2025. Getty Images.

A mini green lizard Hermès Birkin bag in 2025. Getty Images.

Since the very beginning, Herm&egrave;s has considered leatherworking to be at the center of its identity. Though the maison started out as a luxury purveyor of harnesses and saddles for horses, its range of offerings expanded over the years, transforming into the multifaceted fashion house it is today. As any fan of the label knows, handbags are also a core aspect of the Herm&egrave;s world, and the maison offers a wide range of colors and leathers&mdash;including exotic animal leathers like ostrich, crocodile, alligator, and lizard.&nbsp;

How Hermès Brings Its Heritage Into The 21st Century

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