How does a legendary luxury house famous worldwide for its opulent leather goods cope with an increasingly warming and unpredictable global climate? For Nadège Vanhée, the artistic director of women’s ready-to-wear at Hermès, the answer lies in reimagining how craftsmanship interacts with the environment. Over the past year, the designer has been traveling extensively across the globe, personally experiencing the punishing effects of severe heatwaves in Los Angeles, various parts of Asia, and throughout Europe, which endured a brutally hot summer season.
That firsthand encounter with rising global temperatures became the primary catalyst for her latest collection. Rather than retreating from the climate reality, Vanhée decided to confront it head-on, turning environmental constraints into a masterclass in seasonal adaptation. She designed the entire collection around a deceptively simple yet evocative concept: air.
"Air can be perceptible, but also imperceptible, and I wanted to convert that idea into a very pragmatic silhouette," said the designer, who undertook the formidable challenge of working notoriously heavy materials—such as denim, calfskin, and silk—into the lightest, most breathable clothing possible. It was an exercise in technical ingenuity, demanding that traditional atelier methods bend to the physical necessity of cooling the wearer without sacrificing the timeless elegance synonymous with the French house.
The creative journey began with an unlikely source of inspiration: the utilitarian parka. While a traditional parka is a functional garment designed for harsh weather protection that does not exactly scream classic Hermès luxury, it nonetheless served as a fertile starting point for Vanhée’s imagination. She took the core utility of the garment and utterly subverted it, transforming the heavy-weather staple into airy dresses and skirts detailed with sheer panels. Some of these innovative pieces were even fitted with little functional zippers, allowing the wearer to dynamically adjust the length, making them shorter or longer depending on preference or circumstance.
These garments debuted in a vibrant, sun-drenched palette that mirrored the collection’s atmospheric theme, featuring sunflower yellow, rich chocolate brown, and the iconic, signature Hermès orange that immediately anchors the pieces within the house’s heritage.
Vanhée’s bag of atmospheric tricks extended far beyond modified outerwear. Drawing unexpected inspiration from the long, rectangular blades found on standard ceiling fans, she incorporated sweeping, dynamic pleats into a sharp black leather blazer. This kinetic design language carried over into other standout pieces, including a chocolate suede skirt backed with contrasting yellow silk, and a striking orange dress that was sharply cinched at the waist with a double-buckle belt. Meanwhile, other sporty dresses in the lineup were constructed from exceptionally thin strips of leather applied meticulously to delicate silk mesh, creating a tactile interplay between solid luxury and breathable space.
The motif of ventilation was literalized in other areas of the wardrobe as well. Air flowed freely through meticulously perforated suede jackets, as well as through open-knit dresses whose intricate construction bore a striking resemblance to traditional fishing nets. In a bold styling choice, these net-like dresses were worn layered over statement bra tops and matching underwear, striking a balance between exposure and refined craftsmanship. Elsewhere in the collection, wide-leg trousers and lightweight jackets crafted from ultra-lightweight denim and printed silk offered fluid movement and a breezy, effortless feel tailored for warmer climes.
Accessories within the collection were likewise thoughtfully calibrated to withstand high temperatures—an ironic consideration, given the sweltering conditions inside the venue itself. Footwear favored practicality under duress, with flat leather boots featuring delicate stitching along the sides, alongside Capri-style sandals that were strappy, minimal, and barely-there. The handbag selection catered to both utility and style, showcasing small bucket bags—some detailed with matching fishnet accents—alongside versatile cross-body styles and slim, understated leather clutches.
Despite the airy construction of the garments on the runway, the atmospheric reality of the venue proved to be a formidable adversary. Many of the models walked the presentation wearing stacks of thick leather bracelets. While undeniably chic and entirely true to the Hermès identity, the heavy leather jewelry looked intensely warm given the ambient temperature in the room. Even before the first model stepped out onto the vast, square runway, high-profile attendees including celebrity fixture Sofia Vergara could be seen actively fanning themselves with the printed show notes to combat the rising heat.
As the presentation drew to a close, the atmospheric irony hung thick in the air, prompting a silent collective wish among the assembled guests: next time, Hermès, please turn up the air conditioning, and truly let the air flow freely.
