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Hermès unveils its traveling exhibition 'Hermès in the Making' in Mexico City
It was indeed a challenge to overlook the spectacle of "Hermès in the Making" in Mexico City last week, given its extensive poster campaign across all major districts and shopping centers of the city. FashionNetwork.com seamlessly integrated amidst the throng at this publicly accessible event.
Following its initial showcase in Copenhagen in 2021 and subsequent stops in Lille, Turin, Singapore, and Kyoto, the Hermès in the Making exhibition journeyed to Mexico City on March 7 for a ten-day exhibition.
The event, which concluded on Sunday, March 17, took place at the Frontón México, an illustrious Art Deco building, formerly a Basque pelota fronton constructed in 1929 and now repurposed into an event space hosting spectacles and performances.
As the exhibition debuted on Friday, March 8, a sizable crowd awaited beneath scorching sunlight to ingress through the gates. Hostesses adorned in Hermès scarves and pristine white and beige uniforms lent large umbrellas to shield attendees from the sun's glare during the wait. Gradually, the public streamed in.
Inside, the entire exhibition area was swathed in black, with only the light-coloured wood stands visible. Photo booths were set up for capturing flawless social media moments atop suspended Hermès chairs, interactive phones detailing anecdotes of Hermès' after sales service, a painting workshop showcasing the brand's iconic motifs... everything meticulously arranged to cater to an appreciative audience, delighted to have made the journey.
However, Hermès' objective was not solely to entertain the public. Upon closer scrutiny of each stand and with patience, one would discern that Hermès sought to share its values with the general public through four major themes: the preservation and transmission of craftsmanship, reverence for the quality of materials, long-term commitment, and regional rootedness.
Transitioning from one stand to another, visitors could encounter an interactive map of France, delineating locations where Hermès houses its workshops and factories, alongside articles from the "Petite H" line, which repurposes materials to craft unconventional objects like a swing made from a stirrup or a porcelain plate with skateboard wheels.
Artisans from across France, predominantly enthusiastic to participate in the exhibition, including saddlers, leatherworkers, porcelain painters, and jewelers, were present. Each diligently plied their craft, amidst visitors taking photographs and a dedicated translator facilitating discussions and exchanges between the audience and the artisan.
We couldn't help but ask, in French, whether they were genuinely at work. The jeweler affirmed, "Certainly! Look at this bracelet (the 'Chaîne d'ancre' diamond bracelet, ndr), it takes me three months to craft! It will be completed by the next stop!" That rendezvous is set for Seoul in May.
Hermès drew in approximately 20,000 attendees to this Mexico City event. Presently, the brand boasts six retail outlets in the country: three stores in Palacio de Hierro in Polanco, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, a boutique in Cancun, and two flagship stores in Mexico City on the prestigious Avenida Masaryk and in the Artz shopping centre.
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