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Hermes Global history
Hermes Global company history timeline
1801 - Thierry Hermes is born in Krefeld, Germany to a French immigrant father, Thierry Hermes, and a German mother, Agnese Kuhnen.
1828 - The Hermes family move to Pont Audemer, north of Paris, where Thierry Jr. learns the trade of leather making and begins crafting harnesses.
1831 - Thierry and his wife, Petronille Pierrtant, welcome their first son and eventual heir to the Hermes throne, Charles-Emile Hermes into the world.
Hermès International S.A. (simply Hermès) is a French luxury goods manufacturer headquartered in Paris, France. It was established in 1837 when the harness-maker Thierry Hermès opened a workshop in rue Basse-du-Rempart, Paris.
1855 - The high quality wrought harnesses and bridles crafted by Hermes gain recognition, winning several awards including the First Class Medal of the Exposition of Paris.
1867 - Hermes wins the First Class Medal for the second time at the Expositions Universelles in Paris.
His harnesses embodied discreet finesse as well as endurance in all conditions: a technical achievement that was recognized with an award at the Universal Exhibition of 1867.
1878 - Thierry Hermes passes away.
In 1880, Charles-Émile Hermès, Hermès’s son, took over management from his father and moved the workshops to 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
1900 - With the help of his sons, Adolphe and Emile-Maurice, Charles-Emile designs the ‘Haut a Courroies’ bag, intended to allow riders to carry their saddles with them.
1902 - Charles-Emile retires, leaving the business to his sons, Adolphe and Emile-Maurice, who rename it Hermes Freres, or Hermes Brothers.
1914 - Emile-Maurice begins furnishing the czar of Russia with saddles and up to 80 saddle craftsmen are employed by the workshop.
1918 - Hermes introduce the first leather golf jacket with a zipper, crafted for Edward, Prince of Wales.
1919 - A decline in sales of horse harnesses and equipment leads to Adolphe Hermes leaving the company with Emile-Maurice buying his brother out.
1920: Company launches a line of clothing, watches, and gloves.
In 1922, Émile obtained the exclusive rights to this system, known today as the zip or zipper; and it came to be used on many of the house’s bags.
He sold his stake in the business to brother Emile-Maurice in 1922.
1924 - Hermes establish a presence in the United States and open two new stores in French resorts.
In 1925, the first men’s ready-to-wear garment, a golf jacket, was created.
1925 Creation of new métiers Émile Hermès was not only attached to his roots, but passionate about his era.
1929 - Hermes introduce the first women’s couture apparel collection which includes bathing outfits and is previewed in Paris.
1935 - Hermes launch one of their most recognizable original goods, the Sac a depeches bag, which would later go on to become known as the Kelly bag.
1938 - The Chaine d’ancre bracelet and the riding jacket and outfit join the classic collection.
1949 The first tie The creation of ties by Hermès is an illustration of the house’s entrepreneurial spirit.
1950 - The perfume division of Hermes is established.
As the father of four daughters, Émile Hermès passed the torch to his sons-in-law Robert Dumas-Hermès, who took over from his father-in-law as head of the business in 1951.
1954: A line of giftware and home furnishings is launched.
Amway history, profile and corporate video Jay Van Andel and Richard DeVos, a pair of direct sales veterans, launched Amway in 1959.
1967 First women’s ready-to-wear collection In 1967, the French stylist of Hungarian origin, Catherine Karolyi, was entrusted with the women’s wardrobe.
More of a journal than a magazine, this publication was created in 1973 in Germany under the name Die Welt von Hermès, with Le Monde d’Hermès emerging in France two years later.
When Robert Dumas died in 1978, his son, Jean-Louis Dumas, assumed the company's top post.
1981 - The iconic Birkin bag is introduced, named after British actress Jane Birkin following a chance encounter the year previous.
1984 Creation of the Birkin bag The Birkin bag was the outcome of a chance encounter between Jean-Louis Dumas and the actress and singer Jane Birkin on a Paris to London flight which led to Jean-Louis Dumas designing her ideal bag.
1987 Hermès celebrates its 150th anniversary A memorable fireworks display over the Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris marked the 150th anniversary of Hermès.
1990: Total Hermès stores, company-owned as well as franchised, reaches 225.
1992 Opening of the Pantin site The leather workshops moved from the first floor of 24 rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré to Pantin, just outside Paris.
Under pressure from some factions in the extended family, Hermès made its first public stock offering in June 1993.
By 1993 this Comptoir Nouveau de la Perfumerie subsidiary was generating about FFr 200 million (US$40 million) in annual sales.
Hermès's 1994 revenues totaled FFr 3.43 billion, 20 percent more than the previous year's mark, and net income increased 38 percent to FFr 290 million.
By 1995 the shares were trading at FFr 600.
Nevertheless, the company remained in the perfume business, launching '24, Faubourg,' a scent named for the address of the company's flagship store, in 1995.
1996: An Hermès store is opened in Beijing, China.
1999: Company acquires a 35 percent interest in Groupe Jean-Paul Gaultier.
Sales: FFr 6.08 billion (US$1 billion)(1999)
Hermès also launched an e-commerce website in the United States in 2002, then another in France three years later.
2003 - Following the retirement of Jean Louis Dumas, Patrick Thomas becomes the new head of Hermes.
In 2005, Sixth generation family member, Pierre-Alexis Dumas, son of Jean-Louis, was appointed artistic director of Hermès.
2007 - Upon the purchase of 28 Rue Faubourg Saint-Honore, Hermes once again expands its flagship store in Paris.
2008 Creation of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès At the initiative of Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the house added a new dimension to its patronage policy and philanthropic commitment with the launch of the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès.
With a total of 266 million parcels, 4.6% more are shifted than the 254 million in the 2008/09 business year.
In its financial statement for the 2009/10 business year, Hermes reports strong growth once again for the sixth year in succession.
The house expanded its range of know-how, complementing its jewellery product offer with a first Haute Bijouterie collection in 2010.
2010 petit h, creation in reverse The petit h workshop was created under the leadership of Pascale Mussard, niece of Jean-Louis Dumas, and adopts a unique approach within the house, that of creation in reverse.
Window display at Faubourg Saint-Honoré created by Leila Menchari, autumn 2011 © Guillaume de Laubier
2012 - Sixth generation Hermes family member, Axel Dumas, is named CEO of the company and remains in position today.
The company thus continues its growth trajectory for the ninth year in a row, increasing total revenue by 8% to about €2,083 million, compared to €1,928 million in 2012.
Starting with the second half of the 2012/13 season, all players in the first and second leagues were wearing the company’s logo on the jersey’s left sleeve, on every game day.
The site was extended in 2013 with the Cité des métiers, a major project encompassing several buildings linked by five themed gardens.
Global revenue thus increases by more than 7% to €2,230 million, compared to €2,083 million in 2013.
A major reason for this is the quality of its delivery service, attested for many years by independent experts – thus in 2014, the Stiftung Warentest consumer testing foundation once again rates Hermes its test winner.
In the 2014 business year, Hermes continues its long run of growth success.
Hermès Horizons designed unique and bespoke objects, while the Apple Watch Hermès bore witness to a bold and innovative partnership with Apple, initiated in 2015.
Hermes continued its growth momentum 2015 with revenues rising eleven percent to EUR 2.46 bn.
In Austria, Hermes introduced Saturday deliveries to its 1,600 ParcelShops in 2015 – a USP on the national market, which significantly reduces delivery times.
Hermes continues investing in its infrastructure, both within Germany and abroad. For example, a 100,000 m² goods distribution centre is being built in the town of Löhne (in North Rhine-Westphalia) for another €90 million, to be occupied in 2015 by Hermes Fulfilment and Hermes Einrichtungs Service.
2016 - Study conducted by Baghunter shows that the iconic Birkin bag has been a better investment than stocks or gold over the previous 35 years.
Adjusted for currency translation effects, Hermes grew its revenues in 2016/17 by more than seven percent to 2.64 billion euros.
Mondial Relay shipped 57 million consignments in 2016.
Axel Dumas has also driven the implementation of the group’s digital strategy, which culminated in the redesign of the hermes.com website in 2017.
From now until 2018, around €300 million will be dedicated to meeting the needs of the growing online retail sector.
In 2019, Hermès arrived in Poland, establishing its first store in Warsaw.
2020 Creation of a new métier, Beauty Hermès presented its sixteenth métier, Beauty, with the first collection, Rouge Hermès, dedicated to the beauty of the lips.
United States © Hermès 2022.
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