Hermès opens Madison Avenue flagship

Hermès announced on Thursday the opening of its new Madison Avenue flagship, as the French luxury brands ramps up its retail offering in New York City.

Located at 706 Madison Avenue, the new Upper East Side store spans 20,250 square feet and is a fusion of three buildings, connected by the Parisian architecture agency RDAI, led by Denis Montel.

Designed as a melange of "New York dynamism and Parisian elegance," the interiors take inspiration from New York’s Art Deco past, unfolding in a series of salons, each with unique design elements. Materials used include stucco, straw marquetry, various wood finishes, leather, and handcrafted wallpaper, licked in a colour palette of warm neutrals – ivories, beiges, light browns – with splashes of bright hues.

The two Madison Avenue entrances each open onto an Hermès ex-libris, and further in, a staircase. On the Bank side, a tile floor in Hermès’ signature mosaic leads to the original staircase with brass balusters, connecting the first and second floors, while the coffered ceiling derives from the Bank’s original design. Entering from the townhouse side, visitors will discover a small Hansom cab, from the 1830s, borrowed from the Émile Hermès collection.

Flooring is terrazzo-style, lit up by Grecques lights, punctuated by a staircase that runs all the way to the fourth floor. The 49-feet supporting wall acts as a vertical gallery for an artwork collection, featuring a painting by French artist Antoine Carbonne, several photographs with an equine theme; as well as reproductions of a selection of Hermès’ scarf designs.

The ground floor houses salons for fashion jewelry, the silk universe and perfume and beauty, and on the other, men’s silk, leather goods and equestrian collections. The Bank staircase leads to the second-floor men’s universe, while the women’s collection are on the third floor, which flows into the jewelry and watches space. In addition to browsing the women’s leather goods, visitors can also take in a crafted curved glass cupola that draws in natural light.

Marking the opening, a special colorway of Hermès 'American Quilts' scarf has been designed, along with exclusive Kelly bags, a Bolide bag, two special watches, Hermès H08 Madison and Arceau Madison, a jukebox, and a bicycle. For the occasion, Brooklyn-based artist Mike Perry has also created a window display.

The new Hermès Madison Avenue store opens on October 3.

Hermès opens Madison Avenue flagship

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