In a world driven by innovation, it is perhaps not unusual that there have been few constants since Salone del Mobile (and its associated behemoth design week) was conceived 65 years ago. Every April, an ever-increasing number of shindigs, showcases and spectacles each try to shout louder than the next. Yet, somewhere at the heart of this frenzy, for the past 15 years at least, is Hermès, a supremely stylish and stable counterpoint to the surrounding noise.
Its installations (in recent years all held in La Pelota, a cavernous space off Via Palermo) have become the highlight of the week and, for many, of the annual design calendar itself. No other house’s presentation has as much impact, combining collaboration, detail, materiality and narrative.
‘We like the idea that not much has really changed, that it’s fairly stable,’ says Alexis Fabry, who along with Charlotte Macaux Perelman, has held the role of joint artistic director of the Hermès Home Universe since 2014. ‘Of course, we’re open to influences, and there’s a kind of porousness, but what we do is not about trend or novelty for the sake of it. We are quite comfortable with the idea that we work with the intangible, that is part of what we do.’ The pivotal and long-standing role of craftsmanship is undeniable and drives this consistency. ‘We’ve always been attached to craft,’ says Macaux Perelman, ‘but it’s something that has become more important, not only for us, but also for Hermès and the wider world. There’s so much progress, but people are wanting to move away from cold technology towards something more material and human.’
Friends since their late teens, the pair only began working together professionally in November 2014. They have always been obsessed with materiality and form. Macaux Perelman’s background in architecture, as well as her knowledge of spatial constructs and structure, complements Fabry’s sense of the visual and creative, stemming from his prowess in photography, curation and publishing. ‘The thing is, we listen to each other, and there’s no ego in the way we work,’ says Macaux Perelman. ‘We usually agree, but sometimes one might be a bit hesitant about an idea, but the other is more sure, and in that way, we can bring the other one along. We balance each other.’
Each year is dedicated to exploring the role of raw materials, such as glass in 2025. Now, the duo are examining the uses of hammered metal, from how it shows the hand of the maker to its interaction with other components, including leather, wood and horsehair. ‘What we’re always asking ourselves when working with a new material is, what can we bring to it? How can we work with it? Why is it something that we would work with?’ says Macaux Perelman. ‘With hammered metal, you can see the gesture, the craftsmanship. With smooth metal, you wouldn’t necessarily get that.’ Fabry adds: ‘Essentially, we’re drawn to basic, sleek, elementary shapes, and giving them this more material quality.’
The collection also features sumptuous, colourful textiles in cashmere and wool, which are synonymous with Hermès. Vibrant marquetry boxes are covered in the finest goat and calfskin, while cylindrical vessels, again in leather, sport polka-dot cut-outs. ‘Graphic pattern, geometry and colour are part of the DNA,’ says Macaux Perelman. ‘It goes back to the original silk-scarf designs and now comes together in an idiosyncratic mix that touches every aspect.’
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Perhaps the most impressive item shown in Milan is the ‘Stadium’ table by British designers Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby, a monolithic piece crafted using marble marquetry and echoing the shape of a saddle, the creation of which is where the house’s leatherwork expertise originated about 190 years ago. It’s not the first time that the pair have worked with Hermès, having created an AES low table in 2017 and Halo and Hécate table lamps in 2019.
Creative collaboration is a vital part of what Macaux Perelman and Fabry bring to Hermès; they only partner with people whose work they love. ‘We have a short list of creators who we team up with, and we’re always surprised by them,’ says Macaux Perelman. ‘It had to be Barber and Osgerby because they’re masters of shape. They create the most beautiful forms.’ For Fabry, the quality of the relationship is key. ‘It’s a two-way process. We need them to bring us things that surprise us and interest us, but we also need to put the correct demands on them. It’s very symmetrical.’
Every year, the scenography is often as memorable as the pieces being presented. It’s also a marker of Macaux Perelman and Fabry’s skill that they transform the same industrial space into different worlds from one year to the next. Last year’s collection was displayed in suspended white boxes, while previous installations have included patterned stone flooring, heavy construction materials and water towers made from paper and ashwood. As ever, the focus this year remains on craftsmanship and minimalist storytelling, with about 30 plaster pillars of differing heights decorated with woodgrain patterns. ‘It’s wonderful,’ says Macaux Perelman, ‘because we get to bring together our obsession with materials and design in the one space at the same time.’
Hermès’s strength lies in the approach of Macaux Perelman and Fabry, which is a cerebral exploration of the concept of design, the elements with which we surround ourselves and how this all fits into the world. As Fabry concludes, ‘Most designers want to create something for the long term rather than ephemeral work, but we’re aware that, for an object to last, for it to have longevity beyond its material quality, beyond its actual physical durability, it needs a certain glow, an aura that you can’t necessarily predict.’ hermes.com
