At the Grand Opening of Hermes on Friday, April 28, excitement – and the occasional French accent – It was felt as a select number of austenites received a glimpse of the elegant new space.
Located at 1221 S. Congress Av. Hermès, the first and third hotspot, is in Austin, Texas. Laurent-Perrier champagne flowed as the high-heeled crowd chomped on garnishes of wagyu, chèvre, and caviar, enjoying French-made silks, jewelry, clothing, equestrian and leather products.
Since 1837, the family-owned Hermès company has been synonymous with French craftsmanship and luxury. Consider the coveted and hard-to-buy Birkin and Kelly bags, which can cost anywhere from $12,000 to $2 million, as well as distinctive leather belts with a gold H-buckle or silk scarves favored by Queen Elizabeth, just one of many famous ladies in the sport. . Hermes scarf.
Hermès says they chose Austin as the location because they were drawn to the city’s creativity, culture, and individuality, and that the shop is an expression of the home’s Parisian heritage combined with Austin’s distinctive music scene and Western South American spirit. The store’s design seeks a balance between classic and contemporary, “a special blend of Texas desert landscapes, urban Austin street vocabulary of skiing and music culture… defined by simple and natural elements,” according to the official description.
The architectural core of the two-story boutique, designed by the Parisian architecture agency RDAI, is a warm gray terrazzo slope with amber accents, inspired by skate parks. The ramp connects perfume, beauty, jewelry, and watch collections to the first floor, which houses collections for the home, ready-to-wear, accessories, and shoe salon. Throughout the store, the natural texture of raffia walls and oak panels complement the graphic design of the intensely colored rugs.
Among the artworks selected for the store are two pieces from the Hermès collection of contemporary portraits by American artist Terri Weifenbach and copies of Alice Shirley’s Appaloosa des Steppes scarf design. Hermes invited Austin-based artist Sophie Roach to create a cheerful and colorful design of geometric shapes that animate a storefront window.
The store officially opened to the public on Saturday, April 30, but the preview party provided a sneak peek and an intimate festive dinner in the Brazos Ballroom. One hundred and seventy guests gathered on the rooftop for a three-course meal paired with white Sancerre, red Haute Côtes de Beaune, and yes, more champagne, punctuated by composed trombone pieces and moderated by Steve Parker leading the University of Texas choir trombone.
Celebrating the expansion of the brand in Austin, Robert Chavez, CEO of Hermes USA, a Texas native, and Paris-based Florian Craen, executive vice president of sales and distribution, delivered speeches and champagne toasts. The evening was as close to a French evening as one can find in Austin, and a reminder of why we love French elegance and style.
