Hermes International : Hermès opens its new Wuhan store, inspired by the unique landscape of the Chinese city

Paris, 12th July 2022

HERMÈS OPENS ITS NEW WUHAN STORE, INSPIRED BY THE UNIQUE

LANDSCAPE OF THE CHINESE CITY

Hermès is delighted to announce the opening of a new store in Wuhan's recently inaugurated Heartland 66 mall. This new address spreads across two expansive floors, the house's sixteen métiers waiting to be discovered. Opening on 13th July 2022, it replaces the former Wuhan location, which had welcomed clients since 2012, and highlights the house's renewed commitment to the thriving metropolis.

Conceived by Parisian architecture agency RDAI, the project draws inspiration from the city as a place of cultural exchange between France and China, as well as the unique geographic nature of Wuhan. Located in central China, it is known as a crossroads between multiple provinces, with the Yangtze River running through its heart.

The store façade is a stunning addition to the exterior of Heartland 66 mall, a new shopping destination opened in 2021, and reveals the overall theme of the store that centres around verticality - inspired by the faults dividing the mountains, narrow openings create a dynamic, architectural sense of movement and direction. Inside, the store's entrances are marked by gradients of warm ochre ceramic tiles, with floor-to-ceiling glass panels that reveal hints of what awaits over the threshold.

Crossing the mosaic carpets that feature the iconic Faubourg pattern and ex-libris, the entire ground floor opens ahead, offering a range of vibrant silk collections, leather goods, and men's ready-to-wear and shoes. The space is illuminated by the traditional Grecques lights - designed for Hermès in 1925 and found in its stores throughout the world. Underfoot, a warm terrazzo features an ochre and brown marble and glistening mother of pearl chips; a nod to the water that runs through the city.

At the store's heart, the staircase's lights are filtered through vertical bamboo panels. Upstairs, guests arrive directly into the space dedicated to the collections for the home. In the women's ready-to-wear and shoe area, a mezzanine overlooks the floor below, creating a sense of openness and flow. Each métier is distinct but harmoniously connected, accentuated by bright lighting coves and plush carpets transitioning from deep peach to light pink, from turquoise to sand.

In the jewellery and watches area, the walls are covered in Japanese paper weaves, creating an impression of preciousness, heightened in the generously sized VIP rooms where silk panels hand-painted in abstract compositions create a refined, intimate atmosphere. A joyful set of

artwork, both classic and contemporary, reflects the roots of the Émile Hermès Collection and fit in harmoniously with the store.

Welcoming existing customers and new guests, the new Wuhan store offers visitors a warm and spacious experience that combines the city's distinctive atmosphere with the Parisian house's creativity and innovative craftsmanship.

Since 1837, Hermès has remained faithful to its artisan model and its humanist values. The freedom to create, the spirit of innovation, the constant search for beautiful materials, the transmission of savoir-faire of excellence, and the aesthetic of functionality all forge the singularity of Hermès, a house of objects created to last. An independent, family-owned company which encompasses 16 métiers, Hermès is dedicated to keeping the majority of its production in France through its 52 workshops and production sites and to developing its network more than 300 stores in 45 countries. The group employs almost 17,600 people worldwide, including nearly 11,000 in France, among whom more than 6,000 are craftsmen*. Axel Dumas, a sixth-generation family member, has been Hermès CEO since 2013.

Founded in 2008, the Fondation d'entreprise Hermès supports projects in the areas of artistic creation, training and the transmission of savoir-faire, biodiversity, and the preservation of the environment.

* As of 31 December 2021

Hermès Wuhan

G/F, Wuhan Heartland 66

No. 688 Jianghan Road

Wuhan, China