In 1837, a young German craftsman named Thierry Hermès opened a small workshop in Paris. He didn't make handbags or scarves. He made harnesses and bridles for horses. His work was so good that riders came from all over Europe to buy from him.
Today, his family's company is worth over $200 billion. People wait years to buy its most famous handbag. But walk into any Hermès store and you'll notice something special: the horse is still everywhere. In the logo. In the leather. In the soul of the brand.
The Early Years: 1837–1900s
Thierry Hermès built his name making the finest horse gear in Paris. His harnesses won prizes at world exhibitions in 1855 and 1867. Royals and wealthy horse owners became his loyal customers.
His son, Charles-Émile, moved the workshop to 24 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré — the same address where Hermès stands today. He added saddles to the business, and soon the Hermès saddle became the best in Europe.
The Big Pivot: Cars Replace Horses
In the early 1900s, cars started replacing horses on the streets of Paris. For a company built on horse equipment, this could have been the end.
But the third generation of the Hermès family made a smart move. They took the leather skills they'd perfected making saddles and used them to create bags, luggage, and accessories for travellers. The quality was the same. The craft was the same. Only the product changed.
In 1922, Émile-Maurice Hermès made the first Hermès handbag. It was based on a saddlebag design. The clasps, the stitching, the leather — all of it came straight from the horse workshop.
The Kelly Bag: A Happy Accident
In 1935, Hermès created a simple leather bag with a turn-lock clasp. It was meant for carrying riding gear. For twenty years, it sold quietly.
Then in 1956, something unexpected happened. Princess Grace of Monaco was photographed using the bag to hide her pregnant belly from photographers. The picture went everywhere. Overnight, the bag became famous. People started calling it "the Kelly."
"The Kelly wasn't meant to be a fashion item. It was built to carry riding equipment. That Grace Kelly loved it — that was pure luck."
What makes the Kelly truly special is how it's made. One craftsman stitches each bag by hand, taking 18 to 24 hours. The technique — called saddle stitching — uses two needles passing through the same hole from opposite sides. This is the same method Hermès developed for horse harnesses back in the 1800s. If one thread breaks, the other still holds. It was built to survive the rough world of horse riding. That's why a Kelly bag can last a lifetime.
The Birkin: Born on an Airplane
In 1984, Hermès chairman Jean-Louis Dumas sat next to actress Jane Birkin on a flight. Her straw bag broke and everything fell out. He asked her what she wanted in a bag. She told him. He sketched the design on a paper sick bag right there on the plane.
That sketch became the Birkin bag. Each one takes 48 hours of work by a single craftsman. The leather is hand-picked. The metal hardware is plated one piece at a time. And the stitching? Still the same saddle stitch from that original workshop.
Today, rare Birkin bags sell at auction for over $400,000. They've been a better investment than the stock market over the past 35 years.
The Horse Never Left
While other luxury brands chase trends and logos, Hermès keeps the horse at its centre. The company logo still shows a horse and carriage. Every year, they host the Saut Hermès show jumping competition at the Grand Palais in Paris. They still make saddles and bridles.
The equestrian fashion trend sweeping today's runways — Ralph Lauren's jodhpurs, Chanel's riding boots, TikTok's #horsegirlaesthetic with over 200 million views — all of it traces back to Hermès.
But here's what makes Hermès different from the trend-followers: the horse was never a style choice. It was never a mood board. The horse is the reason the company exists. Every bag, every scarf, every belt carries within it the spirit of a horse harness, stitched by a craftsman in Paris, nearly two hundred years ago.