Meet The Artisans Behind Hermes’ Iconic Leather And Scarves
Ever wanted to meet the incredibly talented people who create hand-made luxury goods?
Now you can – at least those who work for Hermes.
Hermes Australia is bringing its Festival Des Metiers to Australia from October 2-6, and it will be showing within the MCA in Sydney. Fitting venue – because this is art indeed.
Hermes’ most famous products are leatherwork and scarves: it went from specialising in equestrian wear to producing the iconic Kelly bag and its trademark scarves, beloved of chic women the world over.
So who’s going to be showing off their skills?
Eight artisans who work purely for Hermes are being flown in for the Festival – a leather craftsman and saddle maker will be focusing on the business’s more traditional side, while a silk painter, silk engraver and hand painter will be bringing an Hermes scarf to life before onlookers’ eyes.
And three others – a tie maker, gem setter and watchmaker – will be on hand to represent the brand’s other pursuits.
You’ll be able to ask questions and interact with the artisans, but please, don’t ask silly questions, and don’t ask for a free sample. Or you might end up with the Hermes logo stamped on your forehead.
Image: Hermes Festival des Metiers.
The Next Big Internet Shopping Mecca – Dot-Luxury
If you’re an internet shopping maven, be prepared for the new domain that will rock your world.
Dot-luxury, or web addresses ending in .luxury, are apparently the hot new purchase for online retailers.
And it’s not just wannabes getting in on the action. Apparently big names like Gucci and Ferragamo have all nabbed one.
The reason? The owners of the dot-luxury domain cleverly kept it ‘exclusive’ for its first 60-day period, only allowing established brands to grab the suffix.
And it worked. Versace and Bvlgari were among the first to get in on the action, keen to look exclusive. After those two months, the dot-luxury sites went up for general release – but they do not come cheap, and have to be renewed every year.
What’s the point? Who really cares about the difference between dot-com and dot-whatever?
“It’s digital luxury real estate,” one of the suffix’s founders Monica Kirschner told the press. It’s meant for luxury brands to find loyal customers (read, the wealthiest ones) and “talk to them in a different way.”
And Australian luxury buyers are a big part of the landscape. According to MO Luxury, the Australian luxury goods market is now worth a staggering $2.7 billion and grew 7.8% last year. And the consumers are net-savvy – over 44% fall into the 29-39 age category, meaning they can operate the web with aplomb.
It remains to be seen how dot-luxury sites will keep out the rabble who flock to the brands’ main dot-com sites – maybe a password-only entrance will be imposed.
Either way, be prepared for your lunchtime browsing to change its look very soon.
Image: Dot-luxury sites.
Karl Lagerfeld Shoots Conchita Wurst For CR Fashion Book
She was the drag queen who captured everybody’s attention after winning Eurovision 2014, and now Conchita Wurst is rapidly rising in the fashion world, too.
Wurst stalked the Jean Paul Gaultier catwalk in couture last month, but it looks like it wasn’t stunt casting; Karl Lagerfeld has also dubbed Conchita his new favourite, shooting her for the uber-chic CR Fashion Book.
The shoot is classically Lagerfeld – all monochrome, androgynous fashion and boundary-pushing imagery.
But Conchita adds her trademark spin by being fully bearded, and she isn’t alone; she’s paired with Lagerfeld himself in one shot, and with pregnant model Ashleigh Good in another.
If you’re interested in nabbing Conchita’s long-gloves-and-lingerie look, the shoot was styled by Ricardo Tisci, the Givenchy maestro.
So will we see Conchita on Chanel’s catwalks next? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Image: Conchita Wurst for CR Fashion Book.