Véronique Nichanian updated her Hermès man with hooded parkas, leather overshirts and fleecy jackets with a sporty flair. Many in fashion are playing it safe these days. In tough times, people tend to stick to the tried and tested. Not so Véronique Nichanian who opted to reach outward with her fall collection for Hermès, a house known for hewing close to its traditions and operating at a distance from the buzzy fashion world outside. The success of that strategy — which has kept Hermès independent all these years — now seems to be serving as a perch from which to branch out while much of the world folds in on itself.
For the digital presentation, she teamed again with film producer Cyril Teste. To fill in the dearly missed in-person connection, editors were hand-delivered bags of fresh baked goods — promptly delivered before the show. Models moved up and down the central staircase of a favorite Hermès show venue, France’s Mobilier National building, which houses state-owned furniture. They paused for conversation, glanced at their phones and mingled, looking cool in colorful, calfskin sneakers while casually toting their tartan tweed Galop Fourre-tout bags.
“Our approach to clothing, now of utmost importance, is currently undergoing a transformation, and my job is to come up with propositions,” said Nichanian, acknowledging deep change in the world.
Credits @Paris Fashion Week @Hermes.