Text: Natalia Orlova-ObolenskayaTHE LAST YEAR AGAIN HAS BEEN RICH IN SURPRISES FOR FANS OF THE LEGENDARY FRENCH HOUSE HERMES. THE MAIN GIFT BECAME THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE BRAND CLOCK DEPARTMENT REPRESENTED AT THE PRESTIGIOUS CLOCK SALON IN THE BASEL - IN ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL PAVILIONS OF JAPANESE ARCHITECT. STYLISH GESTURE AT THE ADDRESS OF FUNDS OF UNIQUE MECHANISMS MADE BY THE HOUR HOUSING DEPARTMENT PART, FIFTH YEAR CONFIDENTLY LEADING LA MONTRE HERMES TO SUCCESS - GENERAL DIRECTOR LUKE PER.
High-end professional and recognized watchmaker manager Luc Perramont led La Montre Hermes, and serious changes immediately followed:
First, a 25% stake in Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier was bought, followed by the acquisition of 65% of the bodybuilder Joseph Erard (historically a supplier of Hermes House), and taking control of one of the leading watch manufacturers, Nateber.
Impressive, competent and very consistent strategy of Luc Perramont pretty quickly bore fruit. In 2011, the head of La Montre Hermes was already among the favorites invited to the stage of the Bolshoi Theater of Geneva for the prestigious Grand Prix de Geneve - the main award in the field of watchmaking in the world. Perhaps the most important moment in this whole story of the emergence of a new leader in the narrow and very sophisticated world of prestigious watches was the fact that Luc Perramon was awarded a prize in the category of the best “Men's watches”!
The thing is that Hermes has traditionally positioned itself as a brand supporting art and crafts. And above all, the production of high-quality saddlery - first-class saddles and harnesses for elegant horse-drawn carriages. This attracted the House of aristocrats and monarchs. At the same time, for many years the brand has been associated with the release of fashion products and accessories that attract the world's elite and stars. The watches, which were presented under the Hermes brand, were part of the - though timeless, but still fashionable image!
Suddenly, such a sharp change of course and such a rapid rise! And now the venerable players of the club of prestigious watch movements part to give La Montre Hermes the way. And the young and enterprising reformer - namely, such and declared himself for 5 years of work in the House, Luc Perramon, is going to take almost the first prize. After all, everyone knows that the main battle of the leading manufacturers takes place on the "male field"!
And no matter how they assured us of La Montre Hermes that they supposedly did not intend to encroach on the holy of holies and destroy the hierarchy created for centuries by Swiss watch brands, it can already be clearly stated that a very serious demand for leadership has been made. And that over the generally recognized luminaries of watchmaking, La Montre Hermes has clear advantages.
The thing is that La Montre Hermes, as we have already mentioned, is not just a group claiming to be a place under the watchful sun. A fairly successful unit in demand among millions of fans of a universe called Hermes. Unique and completely self-sufficient! And the self-sufficiency of the universe, as modern physicists are inclined to believe, implies "that the existence of each object is ensured by some conditions existing in the universe."
Well, as you know, for the prosperity and expansion of business in the Hermes universe - with its Birkin and Kelly, jockey boots and silk squares, all the necessary conditions are created. Even the stars are ready to shine - and, in fact, all the time they are publicly doing this, for the glory of the Hermes House! Under the flashes of movies and cameras, a new brand story is actively and naturally written. And the first unique works of his watchmakers are just as elegantly promoted.
But it would be naive to believe that La Montre Hermes is striving forward, only relying on centuries-old fame and traditions! Core values, no doubt, have always been and remain an important factor for success. However, Luc Perramont's division makes a significant contribution to the expansion and prosperity of his universe by developing sophisticated mechanisms and using unique proprietary techniques.
All this is especially clearly seen in the creation of highly artistic dials, which are working by leading decorators. For example, enamel miniature Anita Porsche Perreno is the brightest representative of the Lausanne School of Art. She turns ordinary dials into unique and incredibly beautiful art objects. And having a pronounced authorial style, he always adheres to the traditions and aesthetics of the brand with which he collaborates.
So, the motifs on the dial of the Arceau Attelage Celeste watch, made of burnt enamel, were borrowed by her from the famous porcelain plates Hermes, reminiscent of the glorious past of the company. Anita only painted the history of the House, presenting a company logo depicting a harnessed crew in the most winning light. With her light hand over the carriage a night starry sky arose. And the crew itself turned into one of the brilliant constellations.
By the way, a sprinkling of white gold and the use of special techniques were added to the familiar glitter of the familiar image ... Several layers of translucent (in this case blue) enamel are gradually applied over the miniature decorative elements of gold foil. In parallel and sequentially (layer by layer), enamel is fired in an oven at a temperature of 800 ° C. Due to the multi-layered pattern becomes visually deeper, and the color - more saturated. But before sending each new layer of enamel to the furnace, Anita manually puts grains of gold of different shapes and sizes on it - this helps to create the illusion of a night sky, on which some stars shine brighter than others.
Apparently, the current CEO of La Montre Hermes is betting on a combination of old traditions, authentic style and innovation. In an exclusive interview with Russian Emirates magazine, Luc Perramont confesses his love for the House and emphasizes that he "is ready to provide a powerful breakthrough in the watch segment for the Hermes Group."
What was it like for you, a successful top manager with experience in leading watch companies, to become part of Hermes House?
Luke: My whole career has been in the watch and jewelry business. But the opportunity to join Hermes House is the dream of any professional who, like me, is passionate about luxury and the ability to create beautiful, high-quality objects. In addition, I was offered a tempting prospect - to raise the watch production to a high level for the Hermes Group. And this rather difficult task seemed so interesting to me that I simply could not refuse! La Montre Hermes provides tremendous opportunities for professional growth and development. My colleagues and I should only correctly use all this powerful potential, creating attractive high-quality products.
Your strategy and wise policies have secured La Montre Hermes a place among watchmakers. Although in the world of prestigious watches it is customary to deny changing fashion and emphasize the importance of enduring values ... Nevertheless, it was under your leadership that La Montre Hermes received the Grand Prix de Geneve for the best “Men's watches”. Are you satisfied with the effect your venerable watchmakers have on Arceau Le Temps Suspendu?
Luke: We really wanted Hermes to become an important, authoritative and special player in the Swiss club of prestigious watch brands, while preserving all the basic values. The main task is to provide the brand with the positions in the watch industry that it deserves. And my mission is to make a powerful breakthrough in the watch segment for the Hermes Group. The integration of the production of components such as dials and cases, which are strategically important for watchmaking, meets two main goals - ensuring higher product quality through control of know-how and timely delivery of all components, taking into account the future growth of the company.
The history of Hermes demonstrates the House’s readiness to indulge endlessly and surprise its fans, offering exceptional things - the embodiment of unique craftsmanship and innovation. And our Arceau Le Temps Suspendu are a great example of this philosophy. We will continue to develop the watch sector, trying to use the full potential of Hermes, revealing the essence of the brand and promoting alternative ways of displaying time. And we will never stop in our research and stop surprising customers at Home with innovative products!
It is probably not easy to collaborate with such a famous and principled watchmaker as Jean-Marc Wiederrecht?
Luke: Jean-Marc Wiederrecht is a very authoritative, respected and experienced watchmaker who loves and constantly accepts new challenges. But his philosophy is very close to the vision and aspirations of Hermes. And therefore, our cooperation is a very natural and harmonious union of two bright creative principles!
It is known that most of your personal time is spent on La Montre Hermes. What is the point, in this case, you put in the concept of "personal time"?
Luke: Personal time for me is time spent with people whom I value and for whom I live and work.
Rumor has it that Hermes literally plays with time. After all, the House represents the so-called bourgeois French chic. And to promote their products, he uses tools that are characteristic of a large fashion brand. So, your amazing pavilion at Baselworld was built by the brilliant Japanese architect Toyo Ito. And for the conceptual performance “Time in Motion”, the Linbury Theater of the famous Covent Garden was chosen. What is the strength of such a strategy?
Luke: The uniqueness of Hermes is determined by the rich heritage of the House. Skills, creativity, features and high quality lie at the very heart of our products - always elegant and sophisticated, created for strong and confident personalities. And by the way, the production of Hermes watches has been quite legitimately engaged in since the 20s of the last century.
Today we are already expanding our own niche in the prestigious segment of the Swiss watch industry. And at the same time we have our own unique style. We also strive to advance our own philosophy of the times. So time is Hermes's best friend. And we enjoy our friendship! By the way, our caliber Arceau Le Temps Suspendu is designed to demonstrate Hermes's special relationship over time. We want to use our technical know-how in watchmaking to update and improve a number of complications in mechanical watches, which can be called symbols of “Hermes Time” - “Time of True Dreamers”!
You invited a very successful and serious architect to create a better, but temporary pavilion at the Baselworld 2013 exhibition. He proposed the concept of a cozy and hospitable space - absolutely untypical for the "closed" world of fine watchmaking. A similar challenge has also become a topic of conversation.
Luke: We just wanted the Hermes Pavilion to reflect the values of the House in full accordance with our ideas about them! And Toyo Ito's design has become a prime example of our fundamental values. Craftsmanship, commitment to honest manual labor and the noble elegance of natural materials such as wood. As well as our endless respect for time, precision and innovation. So, relying on ease and openness, Hermes managed to create a calm and very cozy space in the heart of Baselworld!
If we talk about the expanding influence of La Montre Hermes in the world, then what is the role of Russian fans of the brand? Especially those who prefer to buy prestigious watches from Hermes in the United Arab Emirates?
Luke: Russian customers are great connoisseurs of our watches. And our goal is to seduce them with beautiful watches with a special proprietary movement, high craftsmanship and unique complications.
Hermes House traditionally has a special weakness for the representatives of the art world. In Russia, remember the square created for the premiere of "The Barber of Siberia". Can you expect any new projects related to Russia? For example, the release of watches inspired by Russian music or ballet?
Luke: We actively cooperate with representatives of the art world from different countries. However, at present we do not plan any projects with any artist from Russia.
Hermes House is historically associated with sports. Perhaps the upcoming Olympic Games inspired La Montre Hermes to create new sports watches?
Luke: Sport, indeed, has always been the focus of Hermes. However, we supported elite and not too common sports. Perhaps not even sport itself, but a lifestyle associated with sailing or horse riding. Our collections, especially such as the iconic Arceau (recently celebrated its 35th anniversary - ed.) Or Cape Cod, are literally saturated and inspired by this philosophy! And today we look back at the seventies and look for inspiration in competitions, sailing and anchors, introducing new unique mechanisms and an original “sports” design.
