Hermès Product-Centric Strategy

We cannot denay that the Hermès’ main business is leather goods. That’s why, the luxury group has increased its production capacity and invested in having their own training centers.

Leather goods and saddlery represent 43% of Hermès total sales (4900 millions of euros). The French luxury house’s ongoing success focusses on pursuing a product-centric strategy. Its priority is to maintain quality and continue to use beatiful materials such as the leathers used of their leather goods and accessories. Hermès reconciles innovation and fidelity to the founding values of the House. From exceptional materials to the manufacturing of functional, quality objects that last. They want to preserve quality and, in order to achieve this, training is crucial.

In order to guarantee the generational shift within the House, Hermès has its own crafts school that seeks to preserve its craft heritage. At the ‘École des savoir-faire’ , whose curricula is approved by the French National Educational System, the artisans transmit their know-how of excellence to the apprentices, many of whom are youngsters.

As a consequence of all this, Hermès managed to open its twenty-first leather goods workshop in Louviers (Eure) last 7th of April. The workshop already has 170 artisans, trained at the Hermès craft school. The artisans at this place make bags and small leather goods there, as well as saddles and bridles.

Locally speaking, the importance of ‘Preserving Heritage Crafts’ is crucial also in Ubrique as Leather Goods Manufacturing is the main driver of social-economy here. Encouraging a new generation of Leatherworkers is essential for the preservation and continuation of this artisan guild.