This week in New York, Hermès opened the doors to its elegant new flagship store at 706 Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side, showcasing a blend of modern sustainability and artisanal expertise. Parisian architecture and interior design agency RDAI, spearheaded by Denis Montel, fused three existing buildings (two former townhouses and a 1921 outpost of the Bank of New York) to create the impressive 20,250 square foot space, just around the block from its previous location. The alluring boutique welcomes guests with a strong sense of New York energy and Parisian charm, and puts its creative sensibilities on full display.
To celebrate, Hermès held an immersive opening event on September 29, staging an original musical titled Love Around the Block. The play centered on Max, a visionary Hermès store director on the opening day of his 706 Madison flagship boutique. Surrounded by feverish staff, as the story went, Max must balance the high stakes of the day (and a missing ring from the window display!) with the arrival of Joanna, Max’s ex and a premier reporter. Store manager Reuben, and a charismatic team of sales associates, can’t help but play cupid, plotting to reunite the former lovebirds. New York’s fashion and creative elite attended the jubilant opening night.
Courtesy of Hermès.
Courtesy of Hermès.
Photo by Kevin Scott, courtesy of Hermès.
Brooklyn-based artist Mike Perry’s joyous, playful, and colorful visual language was applied to every aspect of the opening event—from invitations to costuming, and from posters to food truck signage. His work is also currently delighting passersby of 706 Madison through a whimsical window display.
Two entrances welcome shoppers inside the boutique, where they will discover a tile floor in the maison’s signature mosaic, leading the way to the epic, restored Bank staircase with brass balusters. A majestic horse drawn carriage from the 1830s, part of the Émile Hermès collection, is lit by classic Grecques lights and stands gracefully on the terrazzo floor near a stone staircase. Concierge service, as well as the main floor coffee bar, and third and fourth floor refreshment bars, create an atmosphere of luxurious hospitality.
The flagship store pays distinct homage to old New York with a refined Art Deco aesthetic, while reviving the grandeur of early city skyscrapers. The contemporary and the historical are juxtaposed, producing a striking conversation through sharp geometric shapes and sensuous contours. The boutique’s narrative plays out in a sequence of salons and private lounges, enveloping guests in utopian, warm materials: stucco, straw marquetry, wood, and leather. Handcrafted wallpaper is set against cozy neutrals such as ivory, beige, and light brown, while more intense colors interject and enhance each newfound chamber.
Photo by Kevin Scott, courtesy of Hermès.
Photo by Kevin Scott, courtesy of Hermès.
Courtesy of Hermès.
Compelling works of art are well displayed on a 49-foot wall, such as a vivid painting of a nature scene by Antoine Carbonne and artistic reproductions of the maison’s scarf designs: Centered Rhyme by Elaine Lustig Cohen, Faune et Flore du Texas by Kermit Oliver, and American Quilts by Aline Honoré. An exclusive colorway of Honoré’s scarf has been designed to celebrate the Madison Avenue store opening, along with special Kelly bags, a Bolide bag, two watches—Hermès H08 Madison and Arceau Madison—a jukebox, and a bicycle.
One half of the main floor displays salons of fashion jewelry, the silk universe, perfume, and beauty. The other half presents men’s silk and leather goods, as well as the equestrian collections. The Bank staircase whisks guests away to the men’s and home collections on the second floor, designed with rich-toned seating, blond wood cabinetry, and a herringbone wood floor. The third floor’s women’s collection is fashioned with curved walls and draws one in with a luminous sun-like globe. Jewelry and watches are nearby, with private alcoves for personalized experiences. Women’s leather goods are spotlighted by an exquisite curved glass cupola, bathed in natural light. A fifth-floor atelier uniquely presents the creations of five artisans from various métiers of the house.
The rooftop garden, a rare New York gem, was designed by landscape aficionado Miranda Brooks, who found inspiration in the bas-relief of artist François Houtin’s ink drawings. Within the garden, the Hermès’ cast-iron cavalryman, known as the firework-maker, stands ceremoniously as a beacon of community and the humanistic, innovative spirit of the legendary maison.
Photo by Kevin Scott, courtesy of Hermès.
Photo by Kevin Scott, courtesy of Hermès.
Photo by Kevin Scott, courtesy of Hermès.
