On 29th October 2021, Hermès is delighted to open the doors of its newly renovated store in the prestigious Plaza 66 in Shanghai. Spanning over two floors and 656 m2, the vision for this store evokes the richness of the local culture and Hermès’ connection with the city of Shanghai, creating an engaging backdrop for discovering the 16 métiers of the house.
The new design is established with the store’s powerful façade, which now features a long window carved into its impressive stone surface to allow more natural light to filter through. The transparency of the storefront below is also improved thanks to the generous addition of windows set in a deep-green tinted glass that mingles invitingly with the mineral hues of the stone tiles.
Transformed by the Parisian architecture agency RDAI, the interiors feature a fluid, curved layout, drawn in response to the existing volumes of the space. Distinctive architectural gestures, like the sculptural lines carved into the soaring ceilings and the rounded walls, enhance the customer path from one side of the open-plan area to the other. Throughout the store, a richly evocative colour palette of deep blue-green, burgundy, and caramel, alternating between matte and lacquer surfaces with added accents of plush velvet, are employed in an impactful way to create a sense of intimacy for each métier. Three-dimensional custom designed carpets with superimposed geometric forms in vivid, saturated colour give structure and individuality to each universe.
From the main street side entrance, guests are greeted with an animated display of women’s silk and a generous offer of fashion accessories. On the other side of the mall, there is a wider selection of women’s silk and accessories, perfume and beauty. These two entrances include mirroring features that are hallmarks of the house: the Hermès ex-libris underfoot and the iconic “Grecques” globe lighting overhead. The hand-assembled inlaid stonework reflects the house’s savoir-faire: based on the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré motif, the pattern disperses before merging again on the other side of the store. The surrounding terrazzo flooring is flecked with preserved pieces of stone from the existing interior façade. Intimate corner spaces and salons on the ground floor are dedicated to the jewellery and watches, as well as the perfume and beauty métiers – fitted out in saturated blue-green tones that contrast with the hand-painted walls and cherrywood cabinetry.
A new, sweeping staircase serves as an architectural feature and an eye-catching exploration of form that undulates. Above the stairs floats a commissioned work by Chinese artist Xiaojing Yan. The delicate sculpture, almost 2m in height, is a cloud-like vision of a horse at full gallop, crafted from over 10,000 glass pearls suspended by threads. The ascent from the first to the second floor follows a gradient, hand-painted frescoed wall that carries on through to the men’s universe and home collections on the second floor. Natural light from the new window bathes the space in a lustrous warmth and a communal table encourages guests to linger for a coffee. Arriving from the mall through a third entrance here, the line of sight travels past the home and equestrian
collections, the leather goods, enveloped in warm and glossy tones of red and deep burgundy, through to the spacious women’s universe. Elegantly clad fitting and VIP rooms, as well as numerous lounge areas furnished with deep leather sofas and armchairs, create an inviting ambience throughout the space.
In the tradition of establishing a distinct identity for each Hermès locale, a collection of carefully selected artwork, contemporary photography, carré prints, and works from the Émile Hermès collection seamlessly blends the past and present.
This new Hermès store offers local customers and new visitors an utterly bespoke retail experi- ence, set in an engaging and welcoming environment. It binds the culturally vibrant essence of Shanghai with the Parisian house’s contemporary creative spirit and fine craftsmanship.
Since 1837, Hermès has remained faithful to its artisan model and its humanist values. The freedom to create, the constant search for beautiful materials, the transmission of savoir-faire of excellence, and the aesthetic of functionality all forge the singularity of Hermès, a house of objects created to last. An independent, family owned company, Hermès is dedicated to keeping the majority of its production in France through its 51 workshops and production sites and to developing its network more than 300 stores in 45 countries. The group employs almost 17,000 people worldwide, including nearly 10,600 in France, among whom more than 5,600 are craftsmen*. Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation family member, has been Hermès CEO since 2013.
Founded in 2008, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès supports projects in the areas of artistic creation, training and the transmission of savoir-faire, biodiversity, and the preservation of the environment.