Exquisite fabrics, outstanding craftsmanship, and a noble history: Over the decades, Hermes grew from a family harness workshop to a world-famous fashion brand that identifies with luxurious quality. Since launching their very first designs in the early 1800’s, Hermes has kept evolving in the constantly changing industry of haute couture and ready-to-wear, while keeping their unique, signature style and aesthetic of offering clean, classic pieces with a creative twist to them.
Learning a bit more about the background and history of Hermes is essential to understanding its huge popularity and current collections. Instead of adapting, or following fashion trends, Hermes decided to create trends and stay true to representing the values of their very own brand. The couture aesthetic of Hermes was noticeable from the beginning of the brand’s history, with incorporating gold and leather elements to the clothing items and accessories, and after years of mastering the details and art of craftsmanship, Hermes quickly gained recognition. With the launch of the French brand’s very first accessory and clothing collection in 1920, Hermes designed clothing items and bags for the Czar of Russia and Edward, Prince of Wales.
Throughout the years, Hermes scarves became part of not only the French fashion scene but also the country’s culture. With the luxurious fabrics, detailed designs, and brave, bold designs and color choices, Hermes made a statement, and combining classy elements with daring details brought the true success─not only in the haute couture but also the pret-a-porter industry. Alongside traditional designs (that have been designed in the 1950’s), the brand continuously expands its collection by launching new prints and shades, as well.
Minimalist Lines & Classic Shapes: The 2017/18 Collection
After taking a look at the upcoming 2017/18 Hermes Men collection, it is clearly visible how the brand combines modern elements with their classic shapes and lines. Instead of going in an entirely opposite direction than usual, Hermes found the balance between sporty and elegant menswear, making this collection unique and exciting, yet still very wearable for the customers. After the controversial choice of making Jean-Paul Gaultier the head designer in 2004, there has been a more traditional vibe throughout the current collections, including this one, as well.
Hermes found the balance between sporty and elegant menswear
Sporty Flair
One of the main themes of the 2017-18 collection is the sporty vibe of the items. Besides traditional trench coats and leather jackets, there are various beige and royal blue bomber jackets and printed jumpers that make the whole collection more casual. The styling of the models is also brilliant: instead of matching similar styles, there is a more eclectic theme of mixing different elements together.
Monochrome Shades
The first thing that caught our attention was the simple, clever, color choices. Royal blue, beige, chocolate brown, matte gray, and black shades are the most popular in the collection, which gives customers the opportunity to easily style each piece and wear it with almost any other shade. Instead of stealing the attention from the designs with loud shades, the brand decided to focus on the shapes and lines, and because this versatility seems to be lacking from high-end designers sometimes, Hermes made a brave, but smart move.
Oversized Designs
Another visibly popular theme for Hermes this year is oversized pieces. From belted leather jackets and elegant trench coats to turtlenecks and straight pants, some of the designs have a unique, oversized design to them. Matched with fitted pants, oversized knitwear, and coats can create an elegant and comfortable outfit, and it also plays to the overall sporty vibe of the outfits perfectly.
Exciting Finishing Touches
With the patent leather shoes, wet look pants, and pop of orange in some of the outfits, Hermes shows its experimental side, as well. Instead of going overboard with a pattern or bold color palette that appears throughout the whole collection, the designer chose a subtle way by playing with different materials and adding an edge to traditional clothing items, such as straight, fitted pants or oxford shoes.
After taking an in-depth look at the vision of Hermes for the upcoming season, it is visible that the brand created a closet for a modern man with just the right amount of experimental choices. While some may say, these designs are just “safe,” with the sporty edge and unusual detailing, this collection perfectly shows how men can incorporate more comfortable elements to their smart casual wear.
