RDAI’s Maison Hermès in London spans 55 rooms of playful interventions and exceptional craftsmanship, where an ‘English eccentric’ spirit is brought to life with the help of some Design Centre brands
Translating an internationally known brand’s values into a physical space can be one of the most exciting roles a designer can perform. French architecture and design practice RDAI represents the pinnacle of contemporary retail design: it has been working with Hermès since the late 1970s, infusing its bricks-and-mortar spaces with a sense of place, from Paris to Sydney to Tokyo.
Its latest project, a series of six linked buildings on London’s New Bond Street, might be the most challenging yet, but it also offered the opportunity for some exceptional storytelling, with the generosity and variety of the rooms giving plenty of breathing space to let the narrative unfold.
“In every city, every country, each Hermès store becomes an exploration of local materials, local craftsmanship, a culture to be respected and discovered,” says Denis Montel, artistic director and executive vice president of RDAI. “Each project is unique. Almost like a piece of haute couture.” For the new Maison Hermès (previously Asprey’s flagship), that meant balancing Hermès’ time-honoured codes with the best of British art and craftsmanship.
The artisanal nature of Hermès’ collections – whether jewellery, watches, fragrance or bags – has its mirror in RDAI’s approach to the interiors. Hermès talks about the language of ‘craftsmanship’ rather than ‘luxury’ and that is always RDAI’s cue. The men’s ready-to-wear room features ‘Elizabeth’ wallcovering by Lincrusta (a Design Centre brand that has the right heritage and pedigree, having been founded in the 1870s), whose deeply embossed surface mirrors the cherrywood panelled ceiling.
“We had already collaborated with Lincrusta on previous Hermès projects, but this was the first time we selected from their archive motifs that are distinctly English – patterns dating from the same era as the buildings themselves,” says Montel. It’s painted in ‘Inky Fingers’ paint by Morris & Co., another distinguished brand with its roots in Victorian decorating.
Elsewhere, fabric from classic French decorating brands expresses Hermès’ own DNA, with textiles from Lelièvre Paris, Nobilis, Pierre Frey and Casamance incorporated, as well as fabric from Italian brand Dedar. RDAI also worked with Le Crin, a company owned by Métaphores (part of Hermès’ stable of brands, available at August + Co at the Design Centre) to develop a fabric that incorporated horsehair for the walls of the café – a tie-in to Hermès’ equestrian links.
With 55 rooms of various scales and architectural character to design, RDAI took an approach that did not try to homogenise or visually unify them. “Inspired by a sense of ‘English eccentricity,’ we chose to make each room singular,” says Montel. “Colour and materiality became our primary tools. Each métier is expressed through a dedicated palette – for instance, the leather department is defined by ‘Rouge H,’ explored through a range of nuanced shades from one room to another. Rather than simplifying the inherent complexity of the site, we embraced and amplified it.”
As Montel points out, “there is no rigid or linear sequence between the spaces,” but instead of feeling disjointed, there is a joyous abandonment to it, and a sense of discovery. Hermès has a witty and playful side to its branding and storytelling (as anyone who follows its Instagram account will know), and this is allowed to come through, too. From illustrator Katie Scott’s floor-to-ceiling flower wallcovering (Montel says that Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was one of the inspirations for the Maison) to the horse-on-wheels sculpture by Jessica Wetherly parked like a giant-scale child’s toy in the atrium, this is design to make you smile.
Montel goes on to say that he feels that Hermès has multiple personalities, from this more whimsical side to the highly functional (the Maison sells everything from gardening tools to a bespoke saddle). The threads that hold it together are, of course, craftsmanship, and the way that the finest raw materials are transformed in its hands. Expressing these personalities in a physical retail environment cannot be easy, but RDAI translates Hermès values into spaces that are authentic, surprising and memorable (and yes, with a touch of English eccentricity).
Images: Valerie Sadoun
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