Hermès Marries Equestrian Tradition and Innovation at State-of-the-Art Saddle Workshop in Normandy

By David Graver For many the name Hermès conjures visions of fashionable silk scarves and luxury leather handbags, but those in the equestrian world are acutely familiar with the fact that founder Thierry Hermès was a horse harness artisan and saddlemaker. For 10 years, prior to opening his acclaimed atelier in Paris in 1837 and attracting clientele like Napoleon III, the craftsman was actually based in France’s equestrian epicenter, Normandy. It’s with this historic anchor in mind that the Maison opened the Maroquinerie de Louviers , its first saddle workshop outside of Paris, last year. Designed by French Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh , it represents a meticulous balance between the heritage of the house and the future of equestrian accessories production—and it is one of two powerful examples of how Hermès continues to lead in this category. View full issue. A comprehensive architectural vision, the Maroquinerie de Louviers sets standards beyond the equestrian world. In fact, with eco-consciousness at its core, it’s the first industrial building in France to be granted the low carbon, energy positive E4C2 designation. Twenty-five thousand square feet of solar panels along with 13 geothermal energy units power the 66,700-square-foot structure. Local artisans hand-made the building’s 500,000 red bricks. And Belgian landscape architect Erik Dhont introduced a rain-capture system to the idyllic setting, which refreshes the water table of the 10-acre site. “As Colonel Daloux—a well-known écuyer [horse rider] from the Cadre Noir de Saumur—used to say, ‘worship of tradition does not exclude love for progress.’ This precisely reflects our mission at Hermès: transmitting two-hundred-year-old know-how from one generation of craftsmen to the next, while striving to accompany the evolution of the sport,” Chloé Nobecourt, the managing director of the equestrian metier at Hermès, tells Elliman Equestrian . Within the future-forward facility, up to 260 artisans, many from the recently opened local trade school Louviers École Hermès des savoir- faire, craft made-to-order saddles, like Hermès’s new Selle Faubourg. A custom, made-to-order saddle from Hermès. A custom, made-to-order saddle from Hermès. A custom, made-to-order saddle from Hermès. This groundbreaking saddle marks the second marquee equestrian announcement from Hermès within the last year. The Selle Faubourg took three years to develop, and incorporates insight from Jérôme Guery, an elite Hermès partner and Olympic medalist, as well as several other riding experts. Substantial field tests offered even more insight and led to technical advancements. The Selle Faubourg diverges from its predecessors in that it features a distinct, deep contour. The pliable beech wood backbone of the saddle, known as the tree, is also more finessed—and parts of it are intentionally exposed to reveal the craftsmanship within. Ultimately, the Selle Faubourg aims to bring the rider closer to the horse, with 100 contact points between the saddle and a horse’s back. “We like to say at Hermès that the horse is our first client,” Nobecourt says. “Our priority is therefore to ensure its comfort, to adapt to the evolution of its morphology, to allow freedom of movement and a close connection between horse and rider. Far from being in opposition, this duality of tradition and innovation ensures that our equestrian roots remain very much alive and that our saddles can accompany these couples at the highest level of the sport.” Designed to support both novices and professionals, for show jumping and flatwork, the streamlined Selle Faubourg represents a commitment from the Maison to forever explore improvements and expand the capabilities. It also honors the hand-made traditions of the house, as it takes one artisan 30 hours to produce a singular Selle Faubourg. The Maroquinerie de Louviers saddle workshop, designed by French Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh. The fact that Hermès values its equestrian program as much as its beloved Birkin bags is evidenced by their private museum atop their rue du Faubourg headquarters. It showcases historic horse-riding artifacts collected by the family over the years. But with innovations like the Selle Faubourg—knowing that saddle developments are a true rarity in the sport—and the investment in the state-of- the-art Norman atelier, Hermès has no intention of limiting their equine history to a museum. Instead, they’re applying their excellence toward the next 200 years.