The Newest Hermès Collection Relies on Traditional Artisans 6,000 Miles Apart
The new Patine d’Hermès array of decorative boxes brings together craftsmen from France and Japan
Since the creation of Hermès there’s always been a degree of imperfection, because it’s the work of a hand, not a machine,” declares Alexis Fabry, co–artistic director of the revered maison’s home collection. “These irregularities are part of the charm of an object.” Now the Patine d’Hermès collection of boxes, introduced earlier this year in Milan, brings that ethos to an entirely new level by combining the craftsmanship of artisans in both France and Japan.
Handmade in ateliers over 6,000 miles apart, the boxes, which come in a variety of shapes and unique color combinations, are first cast in bronze using a lost-wax process in France and then sent to Japan to achieve a burnished glow. “We wanted a patina that had the necessary expressiveness without being too much,” explains Charlotte Macaux Perelman, Fabry’s co–artistic director. Once the look is achieved, each piece is returned to France and finished in leather marquetry, a technique for which Hermès has long been revered.
The combination of bronze and leather directly references Hermès’s rich and storied history of equestrian goods. While the metal alloy is a staple of the company’s origins, it hadn’t explored the material beyond harnesses until several years ago, when the Aes table by British designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby debuted. Fabry has likened the production of these latest objects to a “process of ripening,” with the goal of “reaching harmony.” Although unclear if said harmony is aesthetic or philosophical, it’s an apt message wrapped up in a gorgeous box.
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Collectors Issue under the headline “Perfect Patina.” Subscribe to the magazine.