The development of attitudes to fashion and products themselves, as well as to the designers, has resulted in evolutionary and revolutionary materials. Chanel was one of the pioneers of luxury brands that recently shifted from exotic animal skins; on the other hand, Hermès is one of the luxury brands that has lately come under the limelight for using unconventional skins. But this shift is generating interest from all corners of the internet and beyond, so what exactly is it about? The market positions and presence of brands like Hermès reveal the answer. Even though the bag’s value is created through its material, the attitude of these brands toward sustainability and any environmentally friendly practices they employ influences the field. The luxury pioneers set a standard for other brands to follow. It is vital to distinguish the comprehensiveness of Hermès’s effect on handbags and other future luxury products and better examine this brand’s iconicity.
Hermès is a style icon
Hermès started its journey in 1830 as a small harness workshop to produce accessories for riders and noblemen across Europe and entered the handbag industry with grand quality promises. That is why every product of this unlimited company is a subject of pertinent desire: owing to the deliberate supply increase limitation, Hermès has created exclusivity around each release. To this date, Hermès has launched hundreds of legendary bags and Hermes watches, and I will illustrate some of them below. Of these, the Birkin and the Kelly bags are the most famous, helped by tales making them go beyond mere handbags.
For example, the original production of the Kelly bag used a completely different name. However, once actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly began using the bag to conceal her pregnancy, people began to refer to it by its new name. The Birkin bag was created due to interaction between Jane Birkin and the company’s head at that time, based on a mother’s demand for a bag that would meet the needs of a new mom. These bags are no longer just purses but status symbols that the wealthy must have, regardless of material. Nevertheless, such experiments in more materials have introduced a challenging appreciation for Hermès’s progress.
Nine innovations in materials at Hermès
Can you picture yourself when you own a bag produced from mushrooms? This idea is what drives Hermès to look into bio-synthetic fabrics, made from fungi and other living things that have the same texture as leather but are made in a way that is much better for the environment. Other tried alternatives include products made from pineapples, grapes, cactus plants, and apples, all of which are vegan and could potentially expand Hermès’ audience. These bio-fabrics are animal leather imitations and have replaced equally problematic plastics that take hundreds of years to decompose. Hermès is revolutionizing ecological luxury with these sustainable materials.
Adapting to changing trends
This shift is a matter of changing fashions and answering sustainability requirements and environmental aspects. Hermès has adopted these changes, and the brand has even suggested that they may no longer heavily depend on exotic skins, a route that other brands, including those owned by Chanel, have embarked on. In addition, manufacturers have integrated the Hermès sustainability strategy by playing the role of international environmental standards and artists. When times change, the world wants brands, such as Hermès, to change. One approach that Hermès has taken to chase the top conversation around sustainable luxury and sustainable product manufacturing is embracing innovation in materials.
