HERMES PLANS TO EXPAND ITS LUXURY MARKET

HERMES HAS BEEN EXPANDING ITS REACH SINCE IT STARTED AS A LUXURY PARISIAN SADDLE SHOP IN 1837. TODAY HERMES NOW ENCOMPASSES 17 DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS, WHICH STILL INCLUDES LUXURY CUSTOM MADE SADDLES AS WELL AS PERFUME, APPAREL AND TABLEWARE TO JEWELRY AND CASHMERE THROWS. THEN THERE'S THE FAMOUS LINE OF ICONIC HAND BAGS, INCLUDING THE MUCH COVETED BIRKIN BAG. THANKS TO PIERRE-ALEXIS DUMAS, THE COMPANY'S VISIONARY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, HERMES HAS EXPANDED ITS RANGE TO ALSO INCLUDE A $7.6 MILLION HELICOPTER, A $2.1 MILLION CAR AND A $109 MILLION YACHT. AND HE PLANS ON FURTHER EXPANSION. IN A RECENT INTERVIEW WITH THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, DUMAS REVEALED HIS PLANS TO REFRESH AND EXPAND ON THE HERMES LUGGAGE LINE AND THE HERMES BRAND AS A WHOLE. 'TWENTY YEARS AGO WE DID A HARD-CASE SUITCASE IN CARBON FIBER. IT WAS QUITE INNOVATIVE. I AM VERY INTERESTED IN EXPANDING THE LINE. WE HAVE TO REINVENT OURSELVES. IF WE LAUNCH A PERFUME AND IT IS WHAT WE DID IN THE 70s, WHAT'S THE POINT? WE ARE CONSTANTLY REASSESSING WHO WE ARE. HERMES IS GOING TO EXPAND MORE ON SPACE AND HOME. IF YOU HAVE A VERY LARGE BOAT, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO PUT INSIDE?'