My MANy Bags News #191

Below: The world's first Hermès store dedicated to men has opened in New York on Feb 10...

Below: Some of the special items made exclusively for this new store...

World's First Hermès Mens Store Opens In Madison Avenue, New York

Hermès fans now have a good reason to visit New York. The world's first Hermès Mens store in the world opens on Feb 10 at 690 Madison Avenue, New York.

The 2,450 square foot boutique is the first in the world that Hermès has dedicated to men. The classic brownstone was redesigned by RDAI, the Parisian architectural agency founded by Rena Dumas, and features an interior that is new and contemporary yet borrows from the decorative vocabularies of the traditional tailor's shop and gentlemen's club. Details from the original Hermès store at 24 Faubourg Saint-Honoré are revealed and reworked and paired with the store's streamlined architecture to offer a space that is both elegant and simple.

"We felt there was a tremendous opportunity to really showcase all these wonderful products for men that Hermès makes," said Robert Chavez, President and CEO of Hermès USA "These products tend to be overshadowed or almost hidden among the other categories across the street. This store will raise the awareness level of our current and potential male clients in this market who might not have realized before that Hermès had all of these products, from our enamel cuff links to the made-to-measure program."

For this discerning customer, the store will also feature an array of merchandise made specifically for the new Hermes boutique. Exclusive items include a selection of silk ties---one with the Statue of Liberty next to the Eiffel Tower on the front---while another has an apple motif and comes in four different colors. On the reverse of the ties, "Hermès Homme" appears, which is a signature for the new line.

Another signature product that is exclusive for the Hermès Man boutique is a handcrafted leather baseball glove, which retails for $8,500. "The baseball glove is a new product," says Chavez. "It has never been made before by Hermes. We thought if we are opening our very first Hermès boutique for men in the world and it is going happen in the United States and in New York City, then we need to make a baseball glove. When you think about it---with the leather and the stitching, it is a natural fit for us. When we first saw the glove, we were all taken aback by how beautiful it is. And as fate would have it, as we knew this date was approaching, the New York Yankees won the World Series."

Other special items include trainers and a smart leather briefcase.

I can already hear male Hermès fans screaming for joy:-P

Source: Luxist