Just as many of the high class designer companies, Hermes started out in leather goods and saddlery. Founded in 1837, by Thierry Hermés, Hermes became one of the best leather goods producers in Paris, France.
Today Hermes has expanded its business beyond the scope of horse riding and leather goods to a wide range of products from home décor, fragrances, accessories and handbags.
The spark that the Hermes business needed to expand into fashion was Thierry's grand daughter's husband, Robert Dumas. Robert introduced the first line of products such as ties, fragrances and beach towels to the Hermes line of goods. From this point on, Hermes had such iconic products, such as their famous handcrafted silk scarves.
One of the main differences between Hermes and many of the other designer companies of today is their quality control due to their process of handcraftsmanship. Hermes insists on using artists who handcraft everything they create, shunning any assembly line or manufacturing process. The use of exotic materials in their handbags, such as alligator, crocodile and even ostrich, has also brought their products to a higher standard of class. Because of these high standards and exotic materials, you know that an Hermes handbag is something of a rarity and quality.
The Hermes line is so much of a quality high class product that they do not need any celebrity endorsement. In 2005, Oprah Winfrey was denied access to shop in the Hermes capital retail location in Paris because she went after store hours. This is a pretty bold move when many retailers will close down a store just for a single celebrity to shop alone. Hermes makes such a great and exotic product, they do not buckle for one person or celebrity, but rather follow their own rules. This just adds to the class and standards of Hermes.
Not only are things such as the Hermes handbag and scarves produced with exotic materials, as well as handcrafted, but their company as a whole is pretty exclusive too. Unlike many of the other designer companies, Hermes has maintained its stocks within the family. Hermes may be a publicly traded company, but 80% of its stocks are owned by family. This gives them complete control of the board and allows them to maintain their business role of making the most high quality handbags and scarves in the business.