“Not a single moment had passed without the touch of a craftsman. The craftsman drew intricate paintings on the vessels, and it sent shivers down my spine.” On the afternoon of the 18th in Seoul’s Songpa-gu, a long line formed in front of a box-shaped exhibition hall set up at the outdoor grass square of Lotte World Tower. The crowd was waiting to enter the ‘Hermes in the Making’ pop-up exhibition, which runs from that day until the 27th. After visiting the exhibition, Kang Hye-won (59) said, “When you hear Hermes, you think of it as the ultimate luxury brand without a doubt. It’s not just a random expression.”
Kang’s husband, Park Kang-soo (60), said, “When my wife suggested we go together, I thought she was going to ask me to buy a bag from a trendy pop-up store, so I was a bit hesitant.” However, he added, “But after seeing the craftsmen working firsthand, I was captivated, and I understood the high price range as well.”
The pop-up exhibition refers to a specific exhibit that is held for a limited period in a bustling location and then disappears. Hermes has previously mainly hosted events for VIPs, such as art galleries and fashion shows. They have also held exhibitions aimed at general consumers, but this pop-up exhibition in Korea is the 10th of its kind, following Denmark, the United States, Mexico, Japan, and Thailand.
Reservation for entry was fully booked for all time slots. Considering a total of 11 sessions (with a maximum of 130 people allowed per session) were conducted that day, it is estimated that over 1,400 people visited the exhibition. On-site reservations were also possible, but only if there were cancellations from prior reservations.
I entered the exhibition at 4 p.m., the reserved entry time. Inside, 11 craftsmen were working at their respective booths, engaging in conversations with visitors. Translators were alongside craftsmen from France and Switzerland, interpreting questions from visitors and conversations with the craftsmen. When a woman in her 40s praised the meticulous work, the craftsman working on inserting drawings into a scarf responded with a smile.
The craftsmen’s work was diverse, ranging from leather cutting to watch and jewelry crafting, silk screen dyeing, saddle and glove making, porcelain painting, and repair work, with each explaining their expertise at the visitors’ level.
Particularly because of the renowned signature luxury handbags like the Kelly and Birkin bags, visitors filled the area in front of the booth where leather cutting for the bags was taking place. Craftsman demonstrated their skill of hammering pointed nails into the cut leather and then rounding off the nails.
A diamond engraving craftsman with a loupe explained the tools used for specific tasks. Another craftsman painted a leopard pattern on a ceramic dish, meticulously dabbing the pattern with a thin brush.
According to Hermes Korea, Hermes sets up one workshop each year to train craftsmen. As of the end of last year, they operate about 60 workshops, workrooms, and educational facilities. There are 7,300 craftsmen under Hermes. Hermes bags are entirely handcrafted in France.
This approach is closely tied to the philosophy of Guillaume de Seyne, Deputy CEO of the Hermes Group, who oversees production and investment at Hermes. Before the exhibition, during a pre-invited dialogue session, de Seyne mentioned that the meticulousness and rigor ingrained in craftsmen’s spirit have been at the core of Hermes for 187 years.
Hermes is also popular in the Korean market. In the year before, Hermes Korea recorded sales of 797.2 billion won and an operating profit of 235.7 billion won, increasing by 22.6% and 12%, respectively, from the previous year. This is more than double the 2019 sales of 361.8 billion won. De Seyne referred to Korea as a ‘truly important market’ during the dialogue session.
Experience spaces for visitors were set up throughout the exhibition hall. Leather pieces cut to A4 size were hung on display stands for visitors to smell and touch, and visitors could even try their hand at sewing leather with a needle. Visitors could also participate in silk screen dyeing on scarves or fabrics. Park Hyun-min (35) said, “I could better understand the craftsmen’s work by experiencing it rather than just observing.” Han Ji-young (24) said, “I dream of creating my own brand,” adding, “I learned a lot by watching the craftsmen’s work.”