Hermès denies rumors that Jean Paul Gaultier is leaving

[Alejandro]

i'm sad to hear about gaultier resigning, he did really great things for hermes, but i've also heard about alaia and it will be even more so amazing

 

[droogist]

^the sales are maybe up ...
but as i already said, a lot of people inside hermès and the 'real' hermès customers are not really happy with him ...

Absolutely correct, and the increase in sales can hardly be attributed to Gaultier's presence. Those bags and scarves sell themselves.

I've heard that certain elements within Hermès would like to see Margiela back in some capacity. Hey, he's got a lot of time on his hands now...

 

[Dkammern]

^^ but has that ever happened before, I mean, how many of us have wished to see hedi back at Dior, Tom at Gucci, Phoebe at Chloe, Alessandra at Valentino... and the list goes on.
Which makes me think, who do we have 'job-free' at the moment ?!
Theyskens, Faccinetti, Slimane... not very likely if they don't like screaming for attention, no?
What about a young couturier like Mabille?
I'd be totally ok if Veronique took over. Her collections for men are perfection.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

^ True, but for me Hermes just always lacked that spark that's so much apart of Gaultier's identity. It was always beautiful, and luxe of course, but it was kind of...formulaic, I suppose.

Agree. But it's not just with Hermes, I just don't ever get the wow factor with Jpeg. The only thing I'm ever blown away by at Hermes is the quality of the leathers used, like the coats for fall and that alligator jacket for summer
And I may be a bit partial to those pink 'gator boots from 08
I think, because the house wants to remain exclusive and quiet, it sometimes verges on dull collections, though the quality always speaks for itself.

 

[rip_ian curtis]

His first collections for the label were lovely and some recent as well, but I think it has always been a bit too repetitive, and especially if he has the equestrian references done for his own line, it becomes too much. I think now's a good time for him to leave before he gets beaten down by the press. for the successor, there are big shoes to fill. Hopefully it won't end up in a bankruptcy-worth disaster.

 

[ilaughead]

I may be alone here, but I wouldn't mind if Hermès just kept a design team instead of hiring some new high profile designer. The clothes in the stores aren't directional enough to warrant a runway presentation anyway, even under Gaultier's leadership. Hermès, to me, is a leather goods/scarf house, not a fashion house, and I doubt losing runway coverage will make a drop in sales. Most of their biggest customers probably don't browse Style.com anyway, right? (And I glanced at it, but I didn't even see RTW anywhere on the Hermès site. How's that for low-profile?)

 

[EvaIntl]

^ that makes two of us, i especially agree w/ that their biggest customers don't browse style.com anyway.

 

[Thefrenchy]

perhaps menswear director veronique nichanian?

I doubt that, she loves menswear too much to go to womenswear.

 

[FrenchCactus]

I'm surprised, especially since Hermès owns a big part of Gaultier's own brand. I can't wait to see who will replace Jean-Paul if this piece of news is true.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

I may be alone here, but I wouldn't mind if Hermès just kept a design team instead of hiring some new high profile designer. The clothes in the stores aren't directional enough to warrant a runway presentation anyway, even under Gaultier's leadership. Hermès, to me, is a leather goods/scarf house, not a fashion house, and I doubt losing runway coverage will make a drop in sales. Most of their biggest customers probably don't browse Style.com anyway, right? (And I glanced at it, but I didn't even see RTW anywhere on the Hermès site. How's that for low-profile?)

I think that's a really good idea. I can definately imagine that happening.
Hermes is the place the super-rich go for every accessory (personal, desk, bathroom..) they could possibly need in the best quality, expanding on their in-store variety of ultra-luxurious classic staple clothes is all they need.

 

[Scott]

see that's the way i've always felt about hermès. you know in spite of the cult following of the bags,the spirit at hermès has always been about sublime,rich luxury. it was always very quiet. and i think the problem was J-P was still a bit too extravagant for the aesthetics. i think the only person who really captured hermès' true identity strongly was margiela. he carved a real niche,imo. subversive but so intensely beautiful and poetic as well. not saying they should hire him back or anything but they certainly need re-apply that distinct foundation he was able to affirm for the house.

 

[VogueParisLover]

Well, I might be the only one, but I never liked Gaultier for Hermès. His collections where never very exciting for me. I can't wait to see what becomes of Hermès.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I think that's a really good idea. I can definately imagine that happening.
Hermes is the place the super-rich go for every accessory (personal, desk, bathroom..) they could possibly need in the best quality, expanding on their in-store variety of ultra-luxurious classic staple clothes is all they need.

Can I get an Hermes toilet brush?!?!?!

I wouldn't mind seeing what Alessandra would do for Hermes ... frankly I think it would be no problem for her to do something interesting within the tradition.

 

[mikeijames]

^the sales are maybe up ...
but as i already said, a lot of people inside hermès and the 'real' hermès customers are not really happy with him ...

hermès is not a house like LV ...

i'm sure they are happy about the rise % ... but they prefer to keep it low-profile

i don't know why people are so mystified with this perceived hermes customer that's absent from the world of fashion and trend. that customer does not represent the majority of hermes customers BY FAR.

hermes bags sell to women that obsess over the latest it bag and it shoe as quickly -- if not in a more rapid fashion -- than louis vuitton bag do. it's not the sale of scarves that have kept hermes sales pushing upward. it's the seasonal re-working of the birkins and kelly bags that breathed a new frenzy into the aquisition of those venerable bags. victoria beckham has bought $2M worth of hermes bags, for example. she's not the only one who collects these things. it's an obsession amongst a certain fashionable class in the new york/los angeles set. gaultier took something moderately insider to a completely different label. and it's clear that in recent years customers have moved their dollar away from formerly trendy brands like dior to build up collections of hermes.

 

[masquerade]

This is very sad. I love JPG for hermes. I always felt that it was more subdued and luxurious than his signature line. I love JPG, but you have to be bold to wear a lot of his signature stuff.

I have to say though, recently it does seem like his heart hasn't been in it. His themed collections have gotten more and more cheesy. The cowboy one he did recently was overdone to the point of costuming. Its fine to have a theme, but he went a little too far in recent collections, IMO.

 

[Deleted member 7575]

rumor mill is spinning that Haider Ackermann could replace JPG..........

 

[Scott]

^i could certainly see that mutter....makes one wonder,yes?

 

[FrenchCactus]

I hope the designer will be French. Margiela and Gaultier are French, so is Nichanian and Hardy (Hermès jewelry and shoes). The identity of the brand is so closely linked to France and traditional luxury I can't imagine someone foreign replacing Gaultier.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Of course there are many French designers who aren't French, so I guess it's already been imagined rather successfully elsewhere

 

[Deleted member 7575]

I hope the designer will be French. Margiela and Gaultier are French, so is Nichanian and Hardy (Hermès jewelry and shoes). The identity of the brand is so closely linked to France and traditional luxury I can't imagine someone foreign replacing Gaultier.

Something about this comment leaves a foul taste in my mouth. And no MARGIELA IS BELGIAN and Nichanian is an ARMENIAN name.