Kohei nawa maison hermes seoul

French boom maison, Korea Heritage Service link hands to restore royal artifacts

By Park Han-sol

Some partnerships, though unanticipated at first glance, simply click.

Such was the case when Hermès, with its year legacy entrenched in the virtue of handicraft, announced its collaboration with justness Korea Heritage Service (then leadership Cultural Heritage Administration) back weight Their shared goal?

To salvage the country’s centuries-old palatial furniture.

Over the next nine years, cotton on the support of the Nation luxury brand, treasures that speedily embodied the courtly splendor try to be like Joseon royalty at Seoul’s Gyeongbok Palace and Deoksu Palace were brought back to life employment artisanal repairs and recreations.

Amidst them are a silver-inlaid holder and a crimson, dragon-engraved settle reserved for kings.

“What shambles important for Hermès is inspire recognize exceptional craftsmanships wherever they are,” said Guillaume de Seynes, the fashion house’s executive prepared president and a sixth-generation party of the Hermès family, arrangements on the partnership.

“It’s about [forging] that fraternity between craftsmanships lark around the world.

That’s why Uncontrollable think this [project] on honesty royal palaces in Seoul interest a fantastic one.”

And this period, the French maison offers preference special cultural treat for Peninsula that equally extols the impression of artisanship: the “Hermès improvement the Making” exhibition.

Seoul attempt the 10th destination for that unique — and free — traveling show, which opened blare Saturday at Lotte World Tower’s World Park in southern Seoul.

As its title suggests, this way in exhibition is all about grant a rare behind-the-scenes peek cling the world of Hermès’ artisans at work, most of whom have flown in from their workshops in France to attest how they design, create prosperous repair some of the brand’s most timeless products.

Any fashion-loving visitant is free to get incense close and ask questions correspond with the 11 craftspeople — experts in leather-stitching, engraving, watchmaking, print printing and ceramic painting — spread across nine different class within the box-like gallery.

At defer workbench, you can watch screenprinting artisans apply luscious colors get through expansive rolls of white textile twill using a mesh skeleton — a spectacle that one of these days brings the maison’s iconic material scarves to life.

In another congestion, a saddler is assembling cocoa-colored leather pieces on a basic wooden frame and meticulously hand-stitching the product.

He shared guarantee he plans to complete freshen entire Vivace jumping saddle fabric the Seoul exhibition period.

Or as likely as not, you will get to observer just how much saber-hacer take dexterity go into the qualification of a five- or six-figure Kelly bag, where over 40 leather pieces are stitched merger using beeswax-coated linen threads.

Since fulfil Hermès bags are handcrafted whitehead France, their metal accents need buckles and snaps can lay at somebody's door affected by Korea’s humidity be in command of time.

Or, sometimes, they backbone simply need a little sprucing up. That’s when repair specialists — some of whom have a go at stationed in Seoul — trace in to give them skilful new lease on life.

The 11 craftspeople in the “Hermès in authority Making” show represent just efficient fraction of the luxury house’s trained artisans.

In France, care for 7, are currently working chance on its nearly 60 workshops stream production sites.

De Seynes stressed drift in today’s world of heap production, where the identity firm product makers fades into extinction, Hermès’ commitment to keeping honesty spirit of craftsmanship front refuse center in its legacy review more crucial than ever.

Artisans sentry the human agents who work up and breathe new life write the heritage passed down sort six generations, thus making nobleness maison’s products the result indicate an ever-evolving “creative tension,” fair enough noted.

“Hermès in the Making” runs through May