Hermès is a French luxury brand, widely known for its leather accessories like bags, and also offers men's and women's wear, jewelry, watches, and fragrances.
The founder, Thierry Hermès, was born in 1801 in Krefeld, now part of Germany (at the time, Krefeld was under French rule due to Napoleon). In 1837, Thierry Hermès established a workshop for high-quality horse harnesses.
In 1867, he won a silver medal in the horse harness category at the second Paris World's Fair (Louis Vuitton won the bronze medal at that time). At the third Paris World's Fair in 1878, Hermès received a gold medal. In 1880, the second generation, Emile-Charles Hermès, moved the boutique to its current location on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. This marked the beginning of direct sales to customers, in addition to their traditional manufacturing and wholesale business.
