since 1926, specifically haute couture from 1947 to 1967, including ready-to-wear after 1966. Since 1989, their prêt-a-porter femme had been in the hands of Claude Brouet. When she was appointed, Brouet already had more than 30 years experience as a fashion editor, first for Elle, then for Marie-Claire. Not a designer herself, she surrounded herself with a diverse team of designers who would give shape to the Hermès woman. Brouet believed that this was a woman who required a basic wardrobe with timeless pieces, combined with unique designs. As she was quoted in the press, ‘Il faut faire évoluer les choses sans révolutionner. Pas question d’avant-garde pour Hermès qui, en plus, n’est pas spécialisée dans le vêtement. (…) Il faut des classiques rassurants qui ont toujours quelque chose en plus pour ne pas ennuyer. (…) J’ai vu trop de collections, spectaculaires sans doute, mais pas commercialisables, conçues seulement pour les défiles et puis abandonnées… Ce n’est surtout pas mon but.’4 Ultimately, her vision was not so very different from what Margiela envisioned for the Hermès women’s ready-to-wear. Notwithstanding her sharp eye and feeling for style, Brouet’s dependence on external designers to translate her ideas was nonetheless a barrier to coherent design in the context of the image she had in mind.
With the trajectory of his predecessor in mind, Margiela requested and was given carte blanche, something that was no means a given on the part of the then CEO, Jean-Louis Dumas. Hermès was structured according to its different métiers, the specific skill segments or departments, each with its own creative director. This structure distinguished Hermès from most other fashion houses, for which ready-to-wear was not only a determining factor in the image and identity of the house, but also generated in a major portion of the turnover. At Hermès, there is no hierarchical relationship amongst the different métiers. All the creative directors work with a shared annual theme and consequently jointly give shape to the image to be presented for that season. With Margiela’s arrival, it was in fact Dumas’ desire that the other métiers be inspired by women’s ready-to-wear. There was considerable consternation
