The Inspiring Hermès

It's like a sort of memory game. When I say Hermès and an automatic response that comes into our mind would be the bags Birkin and Kelly and the scarves - three iconic things the house is known for.

I can't deny that these three main products have overshadowed other Hermès products popularity but the truth is, they are Hermès's the top three income generator for years.

Last November, Hermès unveiled its new flagship store at Dosan Park in Seoul, Korea. The new store, which is located within Hermès's own building called Maison Hermès, consists of a 77,450 sqft. floorspace, four floors with copper silkscreen facade and includes an exhibition area called L'Atelier Hermès.

According to CEO Patrick Thomas, Seoul was chosen as the new destination for Hermès new flagship because it represents the fourth biggest market in the world for the brand after Japan, France and the US.

Since the house creative direction were taken over by designers Jean-Paul Galutier for the women's division and Veronique Nichanian for the men's division, Hermès ready-to-wear has becoming a part of fashionistas' wardrobe staples season after season.

Two separate shows were held for both men and women collection. The mens' collection preview was held on January 2007 while the women's collection was unveiled on the 3rd of March 2007 at TBC in front of a group of audience made of selected media representatives, buyers, celebrities and selected Hermès clients.

Like the previous Fall/Winter collection, leather and skin plays the essential part in Hermès's ready-to-wear division. Buttery soft lamb skin which is feather-light in weight and the exotic crocodile or alligator skin have been the ultimate choices chosen by both Gaultier and Nichanian to be applied in their creations.

For this season, outerwear is the focus of the house's ready-to-wear collection. An assortment of coats ranging from the pea coats, swing coats and tail coats were all done in soft leathers that not only spell luxury but comfort as well. Like the previous season, the exotic alligator skin, a reptile native to the American continent, is making its grand comeback in either a trench coat (inset, top), full skirt suit with tailored collared jacket, or bomber jacket with fur trimmed collar, all in the same hue of dark brown.

Non-leather items within this collection includes tweed suits, double breasted jackets with matching box-pleated skirt, blue suede jacket with straight collar and straight skirt, patterned Isle cardigan with knee-length hem, printed button dress with frilled knee-length hemline in brown, knitted patterned V-neck sweater dress with frilled hemline, men's tuxedo and plunging belted v-neck dress in printed chiffon. Kelly bag, the accessory of the season at Hermès was made available in several versions include foldable suede, miniature crocodile and oversize.

For the menswear, the same kind of material application applies with the soft baby lambskin and Barenia calfskin used as one of the main fabrics.

Though warm autumnal colors of brown, beige, black, ocher, and gray were used as the main working color palette by Nichanian and Gaultier, the eye-soothing cerulean blue that's much more appropriate to be used in summer managed to make its way in Nichanian's Fall/Winter collection.

For shirts, prints remained the house's mainstay and black-and-white is their main color. One of them was worn with the alligator jacket (inset, left) on top. Another personal favorites are cerulean blue velvety collared zip-front shirt with ribbed hem and black turtleneck sweater.

Overall, Nichanian has done a great job for the menswear department and she, just like her co-designer Gaultier, deserves an applause from the fashion community.

The Hermès Fall/Winter 2007-08 Collection will be available in Hermès boutiques starting this September to early October while the Spring/Summer 2007 Collection is already in stores now.

*Photos by Marcio Madeira for Style.com/VOGUE and courtesy of The Korea Times

Hermès - G38, Ground Floor, Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur; Lot SATP G31/37, Passenger Level, Satellite A (International Departure), Kuala Lumpur International Airport.