{Art} Highlight: Hermès “Leather Forever” Exhibit

I have to hand it to Hermès.

Once you’ve gone to one of their exhibits, you really get hooked on the brand.

I’ve gone to a few of them now, including “The Gift of Time” and the Petit H pop up shop a few years ago.  I loved seeing the brand’s imaginative products in a completely new setting (follow along on Flickr for more photos).  This exhibit though really delved deep into Hermès history as an artisan of leather from its first crafting of saddles to creating timeless bags that last for generations (really, they displayed a bag that was at least 60 years old!) More than 100 pieces were brought from the Paris’ Faubourg Saint-Honore museum to travel in this exhibit around the world.
I had to go to the exhibit twice because it’s pretty much impossible to actually appreciate an exhibit with a very active toddler. So I’m glad I finally got to enjoy it the second time.  I also got to explain and show to my daughter some of the bags…well at least she appreciate the lights twinkling on the bags in one section.

I’ve always been fascinated by all the different leathers used by Hermès.  They displayed all of their different types of leathers and there was a station with a leather artisan explaining the process of sticking and constructing a purse. There was even a small interactive portion that let you see all of the different pieces that go into a Kelly bag.

I also really love how Hermès paid homage to their history.  My husband and I took turns riding on a Hermès saddle which powered a small Rodeo charm to move in a clockwise pattern.  The little one loved seeing us gallop!

It was great to see all the ways leather could be used (how cute are these animals) to of course the famous bags.

It is fascinating to see all the possibilities for customization too – imagine a Birkin with spikes or all the color/leather combinations with an otherwise classic Kelly bag.
Or imagine the bags on a much smaller scale with this mix of miniature white purses.

Finally, it was great to see the adorable star/Kellydoll bags created by Hermès to celebrate Singapore’s 50th anniversary. These whimsical bags pay homage to different aspects of the lion city from urban landscapes on one bag to embroidered butterflies calling to light its tropical roots.

I love how Hermès has made its luxury appreciated by a wider audience.  So perhaps the little one will have a few orange box pieces in her future…

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