Who Founded Hermès?

Hermès possesses one of the most historic, aristocratic founding stories in the entire luxury sector, rooted not in high fashion or handbags, but in the demanding, utilitarian world of 19th-century equestrian travel. The company was founded in 1837 in Paris by Thierry Hermès, a skilled harness maker who was born in Germany to a French father and German mother. At the time Paris was the bustling center of carriage travel. Thierry Hermès did not set out to build a fashion empire; his foundational obsession was creating the highest quality, durable wrought harnesses and bridles for the carriage trade. He catered exclusively to the European nobility (winning prestigious medals at the Expositions Universelles in Paris). His harnesses were famous for their incredible strength and refined, understated elegance. The definitive pivot that transformed the company occurred under his son, Charles-Émile Hermès, and his grandsons, Adolphe and Émile-Maurice. In the early 20th century, Émile-Maurice recognized an existential threat: the invention of the automobile was destroying the equestrian carriage market. However, he also recognized a new opportunity. People were traveling differently, they were taking transcontinental trains and ocean liners, requiring durable, elegant luggage. Utilizing their expertise in saddle-stitching and high-quality leather, Hermès introduced the 'Haut à Courroies' bag (originally designed to carry saddles), which eventually evolved into the well-known Kelly and Birkin bags. By adapting their equestrian heritage into modern luxury travel and fashion, the Hermès family established an enduring, independent global empire.