THE WAY FORWARD

The exquisite collection of antiquities formations at the fashion house. The touring exhibition Hermès Heritage– Rouges Hermès spotlights the power of imagination.

- Radhika Bhalla

RECOUNTING THE HISTORY OF HERMÈS, Ménéhould de Bazelaire du Chatelle tells the story of Émile Hermès, the patriarch of the luxury French brand, purchasing his first “treasure” at the age of 12—“He got his first tip of two francs in 1883, making deliveries for his grandfather’s company [of leather accessories for horses], and it was quite a lot of money for a young boy. He bought an antique walking stick with it—La canne galante—that contained a little parasol hidden inside the handle.” This became the starting point for Hermès’s collection of antiquities from around the world.

Ménéhould is the artistic director of the cultural patrimony of the luxury brand, responsible for looking after and adding to the Émile Hermès Museum in Paris. Her experience in the field makes her perfect for the role—having previously worked in the Drawing Department of the Louvre Museum, Paris and studied literature, Latin, Greek, and history. Bazaar met her at The Chanakya, Delhi, when she was in town for the Hermès Heritage – Rouges Hermès exhibition, curated by renowned conservator Bruno Gaudichon.