For decades, Hermes has been the pinnacle for most fashion and handbag lovers, always the brand that many strive to shop at...eventually. Known for their Birkin and Kelly bags, which are made famous by the celebrities and wealthy fashion followers who wear them, the brand has become a household name, even with those who don’t care much for fashion at all.

But what is Hermes's aim, and who is their ideal audience? What are they creating these bags for, and more importantly, who? I want to delve into the brand’s long heritage and look at its lesser-known ready-to-wear collections, which give a much better insight into the Hermes ethos than their famous bags.

The brand began in Paris in 1837, when Thierry Hermes opened a small workshop, making harnesses for the equestrian industry, the main mode of transport at the time. As the brand established itself as one of the best harness and saddle makers in Europe, the workshop moved to the now famous 24 Faubourg store, the name itself now a classic shade of leather and a perfume available at the brand.

The brand grew throughout Europe and was passed down through the Hermes family over generations. As it grew, it expanded its offerings to sportswear, including a golfing jacket. The silk scarves or ‘twilly’s’, a huge seller at Hermes (and many people’s first Hermes purchase) were created in 1937, 100 years after the brand started. At this point, the brand was still run by family, and the original scarf designs were illustrated by Robert Dumas, Thierry’s grandson’s son-in-law. So, it was a true family affair. The brand was then passed on to Robert, who was also responsible for the original design of the Kelly bag, named after Grace Kelly when she was photographed wearing one.

The brand then expanded into women’s wear, with the guidance of Catherine Karolyi, who designed the best-selling H buckle belt. Since then, the Hermes name has continued to push the bar higher and higher in the standard of quality in the luxury world. Hermes is deemed the highest possible level of luxury and not just because of the highly priced handbags. Often overlooked, is the extremely well-crafted ready-to-wear collections by Hermes. Many designers have taken on the role of designing at Hermes, such as Martin Margiela in the late 90s and now Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski is at the helm, catapulting the collections into the stratosphere with unique and insanely well-crafted designs with a simple and classic overall arc.

You may not have heard of Nadege, and I won’t judge you if you haven’t. Unlike other brands who sing and dance about their creative directors or even have month-long guessing games of who their next director will be, Nadege took on the role rather quietly ten years ago and has since then, been the driving force behind the brand, creating stunningly beautiful looks that perhaps in the fashion world haven’t been as noted as other houses. With the buzz around the bags, it’s hard to imagine that the clothing is such a huge part of Hermes’ success. But the quality of these items is second to none.

In the SS25 show, Nadege celebrated her decade at the house with a sublime collection. As one of the only fashion houses to not use trend forecasters, Nadege’s use of shape and colour can only be credited to her and her team. The models walked the runway in sumptuous sheer fabrics in muted shades of chocolate brown, tangy mustard and rich pinks. The beauty of these clothes comes from not only their high standard of fabrics but also their design. These pieces are made to look beautiful but be practical. The heart of this brand is still devoted to its equestrian roots, and it shows in the way these clothes can be perfect for country walks and an evening dinner.

Images via Vogue Runway

Models were dressed in sheer silks, but the silk was crafted into a mesh, ensuring no clinginess and complete movement, It’s elegant but efficient. Zip-up jackets, thick-soled shoes and leather trousers enable the wearer to weather spring rain, yet garments like the short-sleeved slim bombers and sleeveless tanks lend themselves to sunnier weather. Each look can be imagined in many scenarios; they are made to be worn for a long time. These pieces are meant to last. This is the opposite of trend-driven fashion.

Hermes, true to its origin, can somehow be sought after by millions but stand the test of time and transcend trends. A brand that has transcended through generations lives on with many more years at the top to come.