{"id":32938,"date":"2026-06-09T08:27:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T08:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/32938\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T08:27:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T08:27:14","slug":"hermes-leather-artisans-preserve-french-craftsmanship","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/32938\/","title":{"rendered":"Herm\u00e8s leather artisans preserve French craftsmanship"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since its founding in 1837, French luxury house Herm\u00e8s has become one of the world\u2019s greatest makers of leather goods. Whether you are buying a saddle, a pair of sandals or a handbag, there\u2019s a heightened sense of confidence that comes with Herm\u00e8s\u2019s orange branding \u2013 you can trust the provenance of its products and rest assured that their value will continue to increase over time. There are many reasons for the label\u2019s success but a continued commitment to artisanal manufacturing remains key. \u201cWe are constantly investing in our leather production as the demand for bags and small leather goods is extremely strong,\u201d Guillaume de Seynes, managing director of Herm\u00e8s, tells Monocle.<\/p>\n

\"BlackEquestrian workshop<\/p>\n

As part of this investment, the brand opened a new manufacturing hub called Maroquinerie de Louviers in 2023, which specialises in bags, saddles and bridles. The workshop in Louviers, a commune in Normandy, is the house\u2019s second leather-goods centre in the region. \u201cWe generally organise our production facilities into groups of three sites,\u201d says De Seynes. \u201cIt allows our craftspeople to move easily between locations and bring their savoir-faire along with them.\u201d The company also operates a fragrance plant close by.<\/p>\n

\"ExteriorThe Maroquinerie de Louviers was designed by Lina Ghotmeh <\/p>\n

Often referred to as terre de cheval (land of the horses), Normandy\u2019s history of horse breeding ties in with the company\u2019s equestrian heritage \u2013 Thierry Herm\u00e8s opened his first harness-making workshop in Paris in 1837. And it\u2019s clear to see how the region got its nickname. As Monocle drives up to Louviers, about 100km northwest of Paris, horses graze freely in the open green landscape. On the edge of the town, you catch sight of the imposing, red-brick building that houses the new Herm\u00e8s workshop, which is designed by Beirut-born architect Lina Ghotmeh. \u201cMy uncle Jean-Louis Dumas, former chairman of Herm\u00e8s, used to speak about the art of creating beautiful objects in beautiful settings,\u201d says De Seynes, explaining his decision to work with Ghotmeh on the project. Together, they designed a space that fosters creativity, focuses on employee wellbeing and respects the building\u2019s original function.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe site, the local resources and the bricks were my inspiration,\u201d says Ghotmeh. The architect starts every project by considering the accessibility of local materials and the working environment, creating what she calls \u201carchaeology of the future\u201d. Her compact, square-shaped plan for the factory was made with the brand\u2019s brightly printed silk squares in mind. She also used bricks in a palette ranging from red to violet, all of which were produced 70km from Louviers to support the region\u2019s skilled artisans. \u201cBuilding with bricks is about scaling the idea of architecture down,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

\"WoodenSeat in the sun<\/p>\n

Upon arrival at the new facility, you step into a large entrance hall known as La Place du Village, where team gatherings usually take place to introduce new staff members or share the company\u2019s latest financial results. The business reported double-digit growth and revenues of \u20ac3.36bn for the third quarter of 2023, defying the slowdown that has taken hold of the wider luxury sector.<\/p>\n

The equestrian workshop, the first to be established by Herm\u00e8s outside Paris, sits at the front of the building. Further in, there are administrative offices, while the back is reserved for bags and small leather goods. Every workshop has its own adjoining cutting room. \u201cThe production methods are different but they complement one another,\u201d says a supervisor, as we walk past a wooden vitrine filled with bobbins.<\/p>\n

Once the leather is cut, it is delivered to one of the craftspeople, who all have their own height-adjustable workstations and tools. Artisans assemble every item from start to finish based on the principle of un homme un sac, meaning one man per bag. Nearby, a canteen serves warm lunches subsidised by Herm\u00e8s. On the day that Monocle visits, a chalkboard lists dishes such as lieu noir \u00e0 la bordelaise (a type of fish) and cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

The Louviers site has attracted workers from the surrounding area who began their careers by learning about leather at the brand\u2019s training centre next door, the Louviers \u00c9cole Herm\u00e8s des Savoire-Faire, which offers apprenticeships that last up to 18 months. Many retrain from other professions, with staff including former bakers, nurses and hairdressers. \u201cIt\u2019s always good news when Herm\u00e8s decides to invest,\u201d says De Seynes, noting the company\u2019s tight-knit relationship with the mayor of the nearby commune of Le Vaudreuil, Bernard Leroy.<\/p>\n

\"SpaciousAiry factory interior<\/p>\n

When it reaches full capacity, the Louviers site will employ 260 leather workers and saddlers, in addition to staff in management and logistics. Of the company\u2019s 12,400 employees in France, more than half are artisans \u2013 a worthwhile investment in helping Herm\u00e8s to retain its status as a luxury-market leader. \u201cThe only way that we can increase our output is to grow the number of artisans,\u201d adds De Seynes. \u201cThis is still extremely manual work. It\u2019s not only a matter of investing in equipment but also about hiring more people, training them and identifying the most talented ones \u2013 the ones who will become masters of their craft.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walking through the building, there is a sense of airiness thanks to its broad corridors, generous apertures and high ceilings. Daylight streams in through the arched side windows, illuminating the artisans\u2019 workstations below. \u201cIt\u2019s important for the rooms to have northern light because it is clear and pure,\u201d says De Seynes. A leather worker in the bridle-making team echoes his thoughts. \u201cThere is so much natural light here,\u201d he says. \u201cIt helps us \u2018read\u2019 the leathers and work precisely.\u201d<\/p>\n

The building is also unexpectedly quiet, aside from the soft thuds of hammers echoing in the distance \u2013 a reminder that every item is put together by hand and that there are no machines to speed up the process. In one workshop, a woman sews straps onto a Kelly bag made from Epsom leather, while her neighbour assembles the same bag in glossy-black Box-calf leather, the oldest version of the material used by Herm\u00e8s, which is known for acquiring a patina over time. \u201cThis is my favourite type of leather to work with,\u201d she says, with a smile. \u201cIt requires extra care.\u201d<\/p>\n

A bright space filled with smiling employees was part of Ghotmeh\u2019s initial vision for the new Louviers facility. \u201cArchitecture has an immediate effect on wellbeing and behaviour,\u201d she says. \u201cI want this building to bring joy and warmth to the artisans, and for them to work in comfortable, naturally lit ateliers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Close-upWork in progress<\/p>\n

\"DetailHand-sewn leather<\/p>\n

\"CollectionArtisan\u2019s tools<\/p>\n

\"ArrayMuted rainbow of bobbins<\/p>\n

Training the next generation of craftspeople and providing them with the right working conditions is quickly becoming a prerequisite for fashion houses. Herm\u00e8s is setting an industry benchmark by investing in craft and sustainability. The Louviers workshop is powered by geothermal energy and more than 2,300 sq m of solar panels. It\u2019s also surrounded by three hectares of gardens designed by Belgian landscape architect Erik Dhont, who ensured that most of the site\u2019s original trees were retained.<\/p>\n

Strolling around these idyllic gardens, where employees often gather during their afternoon breaks, offers a peek into what the future of manufacturing could be \u2013 one that isn\u2019t purely machine-led but instead centred around human skills and artisan communities, working together in well-designed spaces. \u201cWe have been cultivating this know-how for centuries and still believe in it,\u201d says De Seynes. \u201cThis means investing in good facilities, hiring staff and passing on our savoir-faire to the next generation.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Since its founding in 1837, French luxury house Herm\u00e8s has become one of the world\u2019s greatest makers of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":32939,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12919],"tags":[23580,4953,15481,23581,23582,9933],"class_list":["post-32938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-hermes","tag-artisans","tag-hermes","tag-leather-goods","tag-lina-ghotmeh","tag-louviers","tag-normandy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/france\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}