With a nod to South American dressing, Christophe Lemaire crafts a wearable collection of delivered strong outerwear — even capes and blanket-like ponchos were elevated with Hermès's quintessential luxe for Fall 2012. Relaxed staples were reimagined in sophisticated detail — leather layered in chubby fur, leather gaucho pants, leather capes, and loose velvet tops and dresses. Dressed-down got a decidedly dressier edge, but only really in its fabrication. As a whole, silhouettes were oversize; the vibe was decidedly more androgynous with masculine tailoring dominating throughout and inspiring images of Annie Hall's slouchy suiting. That's not to say there was no refinement here – Hermès's girl may not do frills, but she's certainly not without polish: cocoon coats crafted in rich color, swathed in suede, and finished with a touch of leather were steeped in Hermès luxe.
>> Christophe Lemaire's third outing at Hermès made a strong case for the cloak. They were everywhere in his Argentinian cowboy-inspired Fall 2012 collection — and in drapey leather, fringed cashmere, high-pile fur, and slouchy wool, they pretty much stole the show. That's not to say, however, that there weren't plenty of other knockout pieces here to admire: pleated leather gauchos, flared midi-length skirts, and boxy boleros were beautifully chic, as were the mix-print silk ensembles and bold-hued suede suits that closed the show.
>> Helmut Lang seems pretty set about not coming back to fashion — he recently shredded the remains of his archives for an art exhibition — but that doesn't mean he isn't still being pursued. Apparently, after Jean Paul Gaultier decided to leave Hermes in May 2010, Lang was the firm favorite to replace Gaultier as Hermes creative director, W reports. But: When Hermes courted Lang, he refused — he wanted to continue his newfound career as an artist instead of returning to fashion — and the job instead went to Christophe Lemaire.
While Hermes womenswear contributes less than 10 percent of the brand's annual turnover, it does have a symbolic significance in the media and how the brand is viewed. And speaking of views, another Hermes family member has spoken out about Bernard Arnault and the threat of an LVMH takeover. Pierre-Alexis Dumas, the company's group artistic director, tells W: “Hermes has grown out of a family culture with a set of values that we all believe in. I am convinced it would disappear if the family dimension was taken away or diluted. You know, there have been a lot of very good, small restaurants in Paris that have been bought by big chains over the years, usually in the name of better management. But somehow their clients have stopped going, because they have lost their souls ... This whole situation has been an incentive to work even harder. I have told everybody, ‘Listen, guys — it’s time to be more Hermes than ever.’”
