Hermès
Hermès International (Hermès family through H51) · France
Hermès is a French luxury house founded in Paris in 1837 by the harness maker Thierry Hermès and best known for its Birkin and Kelly bags and silk carrés. It is listed on Euronext Paris but controlled by the founding family through the H51 holding, and is widely seen as the benchmark for independent, craft-led luxury.
| Founded | 1837, Paris |
|---|---|
| Founder | Thierry Hermès |
| Owner | Hermès family (H51 holding), listed on Euronext Paris |
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Executive chairman | Axel Dumas |
| Segment | Luxury |
| Website | hermes.com |
What is Hermès?
Hermès International is a French luxury group headquartered at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, the address the house has occupied since 1880. It started as a harness and saddlery workshop and today works across 16 business lines, or métiers, including leather goods and saddlery, silk and textiles, ready-to-wear, watches, jewellery, perfume, beauty, tableware and homeware.
History
Thierry Hermès opened his saddlery workshop in Paris in 1837. Later generations moved the business from equestrian equipment into bags, travel goods and accessories. The silk carré was introduced in 1937, the Kelly bag took its name from Grace Kelly in the 1950s, and the Birkin was created with Jane Birkin in 1984. From 2010 LVMH built a stake of about 17 per cent, which the family countered by grouping its shares in the H51 holding in 2011; an agreement in 2014 ended the dispute and LVMH later exited.
Products and positioning
Leather goods and saddlery are the largest métier and accounted for 42.6 per cent of sales in 2024. Creative work is overseen by artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas. Nadège Vanhée has led women's ready-to-wear since 2014, and Grace Wales Bonner was named creative director of menswear in October 2025, succeeding Véronique Nichanian, who led menswear from 1988.
- Leather goods: Birkin, Kelly and saddlery
- Silk: carré scarves since 1937
- Beauty: a métier added in 2020
- Perfume: created by in-house perfumer Christine Nagel
Business model and distribution
Hermès relies on a largely in-house, artisanal model, with around 60 production sites, mostly in France, and roughly 7,000 craftspeople among about 25,000 employees. It sells through a network of nearly 300 stores in 45 countries, complemented by its own e-commerce and by specialist retailers for watches, perfume and tableware. Executive chairman Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation family member, leads the company. Sales reached €15.2 billion in 2024, and the shares have been part of the CAC 40 since 2018.
Why it matters
Hermès is the clearest example of a luxury house that has grown by limiting supply, controlling distribution and keeping craft in-house rather than relying on licensing. Its family ownership and long-term planning make it a constant reference point for brands weighing independence against the scale of the large luxury conglomerates.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Hermès?
Hermès is controlled by the descendants of founder Thierry Hermès, whose shares are grouped in the H51 holding company. The company is also listed on Euronext Paris and is a member of the CAC 40 index.
Where is Hermès from?
Hermès is a French house founded in Paris in 1837. Its headquarters remain at 24 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and most of its production sites are in France.
