16 FEBRUARY 2021

Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski is the Creative Director of Hermès, a luxury brand with a deep history, founded on horse saddles, but now famous for its neckties, handbags and increasingly for its discreetly elegant clothes.

It is not just a mighty and classy brand, it is also a family business of six generations.

The Co-Chairs of Hermès today are two cousins: CEO Axel Dumas, and Vice-President and Artistic Director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the son of Jean-Louis Dumas, who revolutionised Hermès and grew it as an international luxury company.

The current designer has become part of the family. Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski, whose name reflects the variety of her background, talks to Suzy about how she is developing the brand as “quiet luxury”. Call her a purist or a gentle spirit, the designer’s aim is to move the brand forward, with imagination and intelligence.

Nadège Vanhee-Cybulski-Cybulski has been Creative Director of Hermes since 2014, having previously designed for The Row, Celine and Maison Martin Margiela

The artisanal roots have run deep in the house of Hermès since 1837, with over 20 artisan craft workers now producing, as well as Ready to Wear, fine-jewellery, lipstick, furniture, perfume, watches and, of course, those famous handbags.

The company, known for its house colour of warm orange, which is not listed with Pantone, maintains a responsible ethos to the planet, ensuring traceability, certification protecting and preservation. The Hermès artisans also work on ‘petit h’ – a concept that ingeniously transforms remnants of leather, silk, crystal, and porcelain, horsehair, buttons and metal into brand new objects.

You can listen to Nadège talk about her timeless and witty design, her approach to colour and form, what Hermès stands for, and how its horsy history has always galloped ahead in fashion, making Nadège an exceptional designer for a famous brand, here.